Crescent Scar
by Aki-Shinko
Summary: On their search to find Cheza, the WR pack comes along a new female wolf named Soui. The a scar on her forehead the only link to the past, what will happen when both Darica and Jagara come after her over Kiba and CHeza? Tsume x OC COMPLETE
1. I

**Disclaimer: **This is my first Wolf's Rain Fanfiction. Please check out my others. REVIEWS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED

**Chapter 1 Soui **

The search for paradise had re began, and the pack is back together once more.It had been a while, that they've been searching. Cheza is with Darcia once again, and the pack is on his trail once more.

Toboe, Blue, and Hige stayed behind in the den where they rested. Kiba and Tsume, as usual were out on the hunt, looking for game to bring back. They walked along silently, their pads and nails the only sounds clicking in the snow. One black wolf, and one white.

_Tsume, you hear that? _Kiba's ears perked as his eyes darted about

_Yeah I did, something's out here _Tsume admitted a low growl

_Let's go_ Kiba continued to walk forward, Tsume only one step behind.

Both their heads turned to the right hearing something approach, and Kiba was instantly knocked down with something atop him.

_KIBA! _Tsume growled. Atop Kiba was a gold wolf with copper eyes, it trying to sink its teeth into Kiba's front right leg. Tsume charged and grabbed the wolf by the scruff of its neck and threw it aside. _You okay?_

_I'm fine_ Kiba said standing up and shaking the snow off of him. Tsume trotted up to the wolf and pushed his paw onto the black wolf's jugular.

_What the hell is your deal, attacking us? _Tsume growled, but there was no response _Answer damnit! _He snapped his teeth only a centimeter away from his prey's face.

_Damn you boys, you're all the same _The gold wolf snapped admitting its own low growl

_Why did you attack us? _Kiba asked camly

_Why did you enter foreign territory! _She snapped back

_We're traveling. Its not like this is your territory she-wolf. As far as I can see, you're alone. _Tsume shot back

_My pack was killed by Darcia. That noble said he was looking for a white wolf and his pack. Well you fit the description perfectly, and I will avenge my pack!_ She barked. Their was a scar right between her two eyes.

_How did you survive that sort of scar? _Kiba asked curiously

_Darcia spared me. That bastard. I would rather have died with them then wander this world without them. He's just mocking me now _The wolf looked away from them _I lost everything, I lost the children, my brothers and sisters, what's the point, what should I be searching for?_

_Paradise_ Kiba told her

_Paradise? That's just a pup's tail _The wolf sighed miserably

_Even if it is, it gives us something to search for, a sense of purpose. _Tsume growled _At least we're not wasting our lives away morning the loss of something that's already dead_

_SHUT UP YOU! _The wolf screamed _What would you know about losses, you're in a pack, you have friends watching out for you_

_I've lost plenty of damn people in this world. _Tsume screamed back

_People? You actually befriended those monsters?_

_I did what I had to, I had to survive somehow in that city! _Tsume barked practically ready to destroy her.

_That's enough Tsume_ Kiba told him calmly, now below Tsume's paw was a frail girl. Her hair was a gold, her eyes just as amber and copper colored to match them. She was pale, and rather skinny for a girl. Her red shirt was damp with the snow and she wore cargo pants and boots, more so, that's what her appearance was.

_So this what you want to see? If I took on the appearance of one of those worthless human's you'd spare me? _The girl shrieked

_SHUT UP! _Tsume slapped her across the face. She gasped and brought her hand to her face; now seeing a white haired man in black leather clothes atop her _If I had it my way you would've been killed the minute you attacked Kiba_

_Who are you? _Kiba asked her placing his hands in his brown coat pockets. Tsume removed his hand from the girl's throat, and stood up standing next to Kiba. The girl sat up rubbing at her throat. She looked up at them with hate in her eyes

"My name is Soui"

"Where will you be heading now Soui?" Kiba asked her quietly

"I'm not sure, I planned on killing you because of my rage and remorse. But the look in your eye, tells me nothing will stop you from getting to what you're looking for"

Tsume only growled looking away with his hands in his pockets

"And him, he looks like he'd tear the whole world apart if you weren't here to stop him"

"I'm Kiba. This is Tsume" Kiba told her quietly pulling her up onto her feet.

She just spat at the ground and looked the other way. She looked up at the moon, which had no finally risen. The way the moonlight shone down on her, Tsume was rather surprised, she looked almost majestic. No matter either form she was in, the moonlight looked as if it danced around her. The scar on her head, shaped almost like a crescent moon seemed to glow too.

"So you two are the one's with the flower maiden aren't you? That scent is all over you"

Kiba frowned looking away but Tsume filled in the blanks "That bastard Darcia took her."

She laughed "Seems like that bastard always wants to twist us. I know there are more of you. I can smell you all. There's a girl, a young boy, and another average male. The falcons told me you were coming"

Tsume growled again, he didn't trust this she-wolf. She knew too much about them. Kiba had the same instinct, and they glanced at each other. Soui stopped laughing as her eyes widened and she picked up a sound, and she ran and pushed the two boys out of the way. A gun shot was heard and a yelp

"TSUME!" Toboe sat up in the cave.

"Uhh what's the matter Runt?" Hige asked yawning

"Tsume and Kiba are in trouble! Didn't you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Hige asked again

"Hige, I heard it too..." Blue said quietly

"What should we do?" Toboe asked nervously

"Lets wait a little longer, they'll call for us if we're needed" Blue said quietly

Tsume's eyes flashed opened and he struggled to his feet and looked to Kiba

_You alright Kiba?_

_Yeah, I'm fine... _Kiba looked to see Soui, her blood pouring everywhere as she stood wobbling on her paws.

_You two need to get out of here. This guy's been hanging around here for a while now _Soui looked at the figure who darted through the trees. He was a young man with a very large gun. _He knows I'm still here, he won't be after you_

Tsume looked at Soui amazed, and at the same time he snarled and bared his teeth.

_We aren't going to leave you here _Kiba told her as the two males joined her. The figure dashed between two more trees and Tsume was off. In a rapid sprint he dodged two more gun shots and ripped the gun from the man's hands.

"Damn you wolves!" The man screamed, Kiba came around from the right running in and sinking his teeth into the man's right leg.

_We can go now, he won't be able to keep up with that bad of a injury to the leg _Kiba told him. Tsume nodded and the two took off running. Kiba ran back to Soui who was now, just a human unconscious on the floor. _Why are you human? _Kiba asked her

"I...can't stand...as a wolf....but...if he sees me...he'd skin me....as a human....he'd just leave me to die....I won't completely...lose what little pride I have..."

Kiba bent over her and with his soft pink tongue he licked at the gun hole in her back. Soui flinched and tried not to show her tears. She couldn't be weak in front of these two males.

"Just go...just leave me to die."

"We can't do that." Kiba told her his hand weaving through her hair. Soui's eyes closed slowly, she fell unconscious. Kiba scooped her up in his arms and wandered back towards the save. The two wolves walked back, the white one carrying a gold wolf on its back.

"Tsume, Kiba, I was worried about you guys" Toboe came running out of the den. But seeing the girl, he stopped tilting his head to the side puzzled and concerned "Who's this?"

"Her name is Soui" Tsume replied in his usual harsh voice.

"She's going to rest with us for a while" Kiba told everyone gently. Blue and Hige came outside of the cave.

"Well, looks like you found another stray" Blue said cooly.

"Looks like she's hit hell" Hige said rubbing his hand through his hair "I guess this means we're not eating either

"If you're so hungry porky go get it yourself!" Tsume barked turning off and storming into the cave

"What's his deal?" Hige asked

"His prides been hurt being saved by a she-wolf. A hunter took aim at us, she took the blow. Its complicated."

Toboe started a fire, and they laid Soui next to it, and her blood stained the snow more, but there was a full moon out, and she would heal.

"So what's her story?" Blue asked sitting with her knees bent

"Darcia killed her pack, and she wanted revenge to kill us. But then the hunter showed up"

"So why did she save you two?" Toboe asked confused

"Its just...instinct...no matter how much hate she had" Kiba looked at her.

The night went on quietly after that. At one point though, Hige and Blue brought back a large buck. They all ate quietly. Hige was most pleased with this. Once full, Blue and Hige curled up together in the snow. Toboe curled up near them too, innocent as could be. Kiba rested on his back, staring up at the stars. Tsume; remained in the cave.

Soui's eyes opened gently, as she turned her head, there was a pile of meat in front of her. At first she scowled, feeling like a pet dog then a wolf. She nibbled at it quietly, tearing the meat apart. Her wounds were nearly gone and she rose quietly. She looked around at all of them, and sighed quietly. She turned and began to limp off.

Soon the gentle flickering light of the fire grew smaller and she wandered off between the trees.

_Where the hell you going? _Tsume asked her

_Leaving. I can't kill you after you spared me. There's no point of me being there. _The wolf's eyes sparkled

_You don't show much loyalty to others apparently_

_And you don't? I can tell by the way you act, how you seclude yourself from them_

_That's nothing of your concern _Tsume growled and bared his teeth

_Look I'm fine, just let me go_

_Where would you go?_

_I guess just to wander here, its not like I have a purpose_

_Then go to paradise_

_You believe that crap?_

_Not really, but something about these guys, we all have a destination that isn't real, but it, keeps us together. _The wolf whinnied

_So we'll all go on wandering until we die_

_But at least you have someone with you, even if they are idiots _Tsume calmed himself. _What do you have to lose?_

_Nothing anymore I guess..._ Soui said quietly. She wandered up to him, and walked under his neck nuzzling him, her warm pink tongue licking at his lips. The wolf wined softly rubbing him with her fur. Tsume blushed frantically, never having anyone remotely touch him as the girls hands wrapped around him and her lips met his. He didn't understand what she was doing, nor what he was doing.But she stood up on her toes intensifying intimacyShe rubbed her hands up and down his chest and she rubbed at his shoulders.

She released him carefully and trotted away quickly back towards the pack. Tsume, bewildered and was filled with a strange stimulated feeling in him. He took his time getting back to the rest of the pack. By the time he had gotten there, Soui was already curled up with Kiba's head on her neck, he already well asleep, probably unaware of it all.

"_What the hell was this girl's deal?"_

**Author's Note**

Well here's chapter 1, I hope you liked it


	2. II

**_Disclaimer_: **Here's Chapter 2 and I own nothing other than Soui

**Chapter 2** Chills

Kiba woke early in the morning, seeing he was asleep beside Soui. Her gold hair, and peaceful face reminded him some what of Darcia's love, this ever content beauty. The wound in her back was almost completely gone, but it was still a bright red from the newly ripped flesh. What he found peculiar, was that scar. It was shaped like the crescent moon, had Darcia really scared her this way, or was there more to it than that?

He sat there hands in his pockets watching her sleep, a thin blanket of white snow on her, even the white flakes sticking to her eye-lashes. There were frozen tears in her eyes too. She seemed; familiar. Kiba got up from his spot and walked over to a nearby stream.

He bent down, and his warm tongue lapped up the water.

_Kiba! _A harsh voice called to him

_What is it now Tsume? _Kiba looked over to the gray wolf.

_Do you really trust this wolf? What are the chances of her all alone here? How did she know that hunter was coming and could block it so quickly? _Those weren't the true reasons of why Tsume didn't trust her. Last night how intimate she could be, but then freely would trot over to Kiba like it never happened

_We all met, and none of us trusted the other. We all started out as strangers. It was your choice to follow me, just as it was for Toboe and Hige, and you all still did. I think she at least deserves the option, especially after saving you _Kiba replied staring at his white reflection

Tsume only snarled again

_You seem more irritable than usual _Kiba added with a smirk

_Shut up. _With that Tsume sulked off back to the fire.

Soui was already awake, stretching and taking in the sunlight. The sun reflected off the droplets of melted snow that was on her hair. He was hidden within the trees unnoticed. He watched though that as Soui tried to take a step her hand instantly returned to where the wound was on her back. _She isn't fully recovered yet._

Just then, Toboe came out and tackled Soui. Tsume was about to go help her, but Toboe's little tail was wagging as his tongue frantically licked all over Soui.

_Alright kid alright good morning _Soui laughed wagging her tail.

_I'm glad you're okay, I was worried ya know_

Soui smiled gently _Well you're the first one in a long while that has worried about my well being._

_Well we're a pack now, of course I'd worry. _Toboe sat up, now a normal boy. Soui took him into her arms and hugged him gently resting her head on the top of his.

"Hey, hey what's wrong Soui?" He asked gently hugging her.

"You remind me of my brother," she whispered shakily.

"What happened to him?" Toboe asked holding her tight

"He...died...protecting me. Darcia killed my pack....every last one of them; my husband, my brothers, my children, everyone."

_**Soui fell into a flashback. There were dozens of wolves running every which way in fear howling. Soui had fallen to the ground, and Darcia was running right after her. He laughed evilly as he held a sword "There you are, the chosen wolf, the she-wolf to sooth the soul."**_

"_**What the hell are you talking about?" Soui asked.**_

"_**Die wolf" Darcia growled thrusting the sword down, and there was a ear-shattering sound of piercing skin**_

"_**KAZE!" She screamed in angst. Her brother fell to the ground, sword still through him**_

"**_Soui...you can do it sis, I believe in you" And with that his eyes closed_**.

"Soui?" Toboe asked

"Yeah Toboe...." She said gently stroking his hair

"What was his name?"

She laughed lightly "His name was Kaze. He could run like the wind, sometimes, he'd even fly along with the falcons." Soui cried softly, and wiped away the tears with his hand.

"Soui...its okay to be sad. I know I can't be Kaze, but if it'll make you happy, I can be your new little brother. Not a replacement, just, someone here for you..."

Soui smiled and hugged him again "I'd like that little brother." Toboe chuckled, happy to have someone special like her. Soui kissed the top of his head "I won't let anything happen to you." There was a moment of silence, and then Soui opened her eyes quickly hearing something

"What's wrong Soui?" Toboe asked nervously

"Toboe...get back into the cave"

"But...why?"

"Just go quick, he's back..." Soui shifted back and flared her teeth. Toboe, the startled pup ran back into the cave. "Make sure to tell the other's not to come out." Soui took off towards the east, which was actually where the lake was but Soui didn't know that.

There was the sound of a man's footsteps scampering after her, and the sound of him loading the gun. _Looks like that bastard brought a new recruit. _Her gold eyes darted all over the place as she darted through the trees. She ran through the thicket of forest, came to an opening of a partially frozen lake, and to her demise Kiba resting on the bank. _KIBA RUN!_

Kiba sat up quickly and saw her run by. "SOUI!" He called out to her and scampered to his feet.

_KIBA YOU HAVE RUN! _She howled as she quickened her pace. Her golden fur only a blur now as a bullet was fired scraping the ground a second after she had left the spot. Kiba quickly changed forms, and tried to find where it was coming from while running after her.

_I'm not going anywhere! _He barked after her and Soui turned her head around.

_They only want me! Don't make me relive the guilt of having another die. _With that a dog jumped from the bushes and pushed Soui out onto the frozen section of the ice. _A dog?_ Soui was surprised, she hadn't detected the dog. He barked and bit at her furiously, tiny tears shredding her, but she kicked him off in time to avoid the bullet shot.

_SOUI! _Kiba screamed. He turned his head to see the hunter in the woods, but had Tsume run up beside him _Tsume, the hunter is back_

_NO kidding I heard the gunshots. We gotta help her _The gray wolf looked out to Soui who was battling on the ice.

_GET OUT OF HERE NOW! _Soui called back out to them as she jumped at the dog butting heads, and bitting at his leg. But the dog sunk its teeth into her back and she yelped and was tossed like a rag doll to the center of the lake, where the ice was thinner, and it cracked as she fell. Soui scampered up and avoided another gun shot, and turned, skidding, but still managed to sink her teeth into the dog's throat and it fell dead, but she wasn't fast enough to dodge a bullet that skinned her back right thigh. _Damn bastard_

_SOUI! _Both Tsume and Kiba screamed

_Tsume, go to Soui, I'll get the hunter_ With that they both split up. Kiba could easily dispose of this hunter. He dodged the bullets like they were nothing and grabbed the gun snapping it with his teeth. The hunter looked at the wolf terrified, he scampered back until he fell. Kiba snarled again and the man took off.

Tsume ran out onto the ice, beneath his very feet the ice was cracking _Soui!_ He called to her.

Soui turned and ran towards him _TSUME! _She was relieved to see that from the corner of her eye Kiba had gotten to the hunter. She ran towards Tsume but as she stepped, the ice gave way under her and she was swallowed up by the water. She shifted back into the girl. Trying to use her hands to get back up. But the way the ice had broken, it flipped itself over again, like a piece of a jig-saw puzzle falling back together trapped her beneath it.

"SOUI!" Tsume slammed his fist against the ice. He brushed away the snow, and froze with his hand and was frozen with fear by what he saw. "KIBA!" He shouted for Kiba, who had seen what had happened too. He ran over and Tsume pointed down. There was Soui, banging her fists up against the ice, trying hard to hold her breath as long as she could.

"We have to get her out of there" Kiba told Tsume. He started to smash his fists against the ice. Tsume couldn't do anything, he just stood there, mesmerized, wishing it was all a dream. But Soui gasped under the water and bubbles flew from her mouth. Her eyes were shutting "TSUME WAKE UP!"

Tsume shook his head and watched as her eyes shut even more. He brought his arm back, and like a sling shot he thrust it forward and watched as the ice shattered. He had been lucky, and hit the same spot Kiba had been pounding at. Soui had slipped deeper into the water and Kiba instantly dived in when he had the chance.

Kiba swam deeper and deeper, until he found her still against the lake's floor. He wrapped his arms around her waist and carried her to the surface. When he got there he let out a gasp of air, and Tsume pulled the two of them out.

Kiba laid her on the ice and shook her gently "Soui, Soui wake up!" but there was no response from her.He pushed against her chest, some weird thing he saw the humans do once when a person wouldn't breath. But he still got nothing. He tried to think of the rest of that procedure. It took him a minute, and obviously Tsume didn't know this procedure as he bent over and locked his lips with hers. Tsume was taken aback, wanting to rip Kiba away from her, but as he watched slowly, he noticed that Kiba was pushing air into her, Tsume pushed against her chest again seeing if anything would help.

Kiba left her lips for a moment as she stirred coughing up water. The scar on her forehead shining just once, one would think it was just the sun reflecting off of her. Her eyes opened slowly, it was all fuzzy, but when she first saw Kiba's face she sat up and just latched herself to him crying.

He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head atop of hers, "It's okay, its over now" he stroked her back, and tried to pay no notice to the blood that dripped from her side. It seemed bad things followed her a lot.

"Kiba...."moaned quietly. The three of them for a while, just sat there, exhausted, hungry, and Soui freezing. She shivered furiously but in Kiba's arms she felt safe.

"Lets go back now" He told her gently. Kiba looked tired, Tsume took her into his arms and they walked, slowly, not to slip or break the ice again, back towards the edge. Soui looked up at Tsume, but he was only looking ahead of them. He looked down at her for a minute. "What?"

Soui only reached out and stroked his cheek. "I saw you..you broke the ice..." She said quietly

Tsume only looked back up ahead of him, but she stroked his cheek once more before bringing her hand back and closing her eyes to sleep.

"Kiba."

"Yeah Tsume?"

"Do you notice that bad things follow us, now that she's here"

"I know Tsume, I know. It's cause of that scar, Darcia's hell touch._"_

'Are we still going to keep her around?_"_

"If we're all heading towards the same direction, we might as well. I don't think it'll matter, bad stuff, followed us to begin with"

When they got back, they relit the fire. They left her there for a while, Kiba and everyone left to hunt. Soui stayed there by the fire, her hand touching the skin wound, and looking at the blood. "Damn" Soui just closed her eyes to sleep "I'm doing nothing but endangering them"

Tsume came back earlier than the rest of the group. Kiba said someone should watch her, and of course he gets volunteered. He sat down beside her and looked at the fire. Soui heard him come over, and she opened her eyes. "Hey there Tsume..." she said quietly

"Hmf." Tsume didn't bother looking at her.

"Why do you hate me?" She asked him sadly

"You manipulate others."

"How so?" She asked him scared

"You stay with someone, and just run off to the next"

"That's not true Tsume..." She slid over next to him. "If you think I want to be with–"

"Just go back to Kiba" He told her firmly

"But I don't want to be with him." She said. He looked at her surprised. "I want to be with you"

"What?" He looked at her still surprised. But she slid closer to him and leaned over kissing his lips again. Tsume didn't know what to do. Her hands slid to his face and she held him and kissed him again. "What...are you doing...."

"Tsume..." she whispered his name in his ear and kissed him again, working her way from his neck to his face again. Her hands rubbed at his shoulders. His hands, unknowing to him were working their way up her back. She scampered to him so finally their bodies were touching, which sent chills up Tsume's spine. But if things could not get any better for him she began to rub herself against his torso.

"Soui...." Tsume had never felt this sensation before, not Soui's actions, but the feeling inside of him. "Kiba..." He whispered, what did he mean to Soui.

"He's the chosen one...." Soui told Tsume... "and unknown to him...I'm his sister"


	3. III

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any Wolf's Rain trade mark characters, I do however own Soui, my character. (Grumbles and wishes she owned Tsume)

akei- means brother

**Chapter 3**

"_Kiba..."_

"_He's the chosen one...." Soui told Tsume... "and unknown to him...I'm his sister"_

Tsume broke their tension as he sat back to look at her "What?" Tsume asked with his usual rash voice. Soui looked away, down at the ground. "How can that be? His family was killed off and he was left in a village years ago as a puppy"

"Exactly. When he was a puppy, our pack knew that he would be the one to find the lunar flower. Darcia knew that too. Our pack was not strong enough to fight off the many followers Darcia possessed, so to save ourselves and him, we left him in an Indian village. Those people, have special gifts, and could protect him. The Indians, respect us as superior beings, unlike the idiots within the domes. In the end, my pack was destroyed except for me, and I knew he was safe. It seems fate has brought us back together."

"Does he know?"

Soui shook her head "He was a little boy, and I was young too. But I've been brought up hearing his legendary story, the white wolf, when I finally did see him, I could tell it was him. I just fear, what troubles this information will bring. So I will not tell him. If I tell him, I'll be his distraction, and he needs to find paradise."

"You've been waiting in this domain all this time, in hopes that he would somehow find his way back, and now that you finally have found him, you can't even tell him"

"Yes...but I'll manage. He's here, that's all that matters, at least now I know my big brother has grown into a fine wolf." Soui smiled, hugging her knees and looked up at the sky.

"Soui..." Tsume looked at her. Why would she burden herself like this? Soui looked back to him and rested her head against his chest. Very cautiously, he wrapped his arms around her and he, smiled.

"As long as I have you Tsume, I'll be fine," she whispered gently closing her eyes.

"I'll protect you," he said softly as he moved aside a strand of her beautiful gold hair.

"You do know...that they can't know about us," she told him "I think Kiba would start to notice things. I don't want to do anything that would upset him, or delay your journey"

"....We'll just have to pretend like there's nothing here" he said almost sadly, he was only just starting to understand what he was feeling, and now he had to act like there was nothing at all. Then again, it wouldn't be that hard for Tsume, he always had the harsh outer appearance.

Their ears then picked up the sound of the group a few hundred feet away. "They're returning," he said quietly

"I know," Soui kissed his cheek one more time and then moved his hands away from her "Give me a few minutes to get down to the fire alright?"

"Sure"

Soui smiled gently and limped off down the hill. She was still rather weak from these past few days, and her wounds hand finally stopped their bleeding. She threw a few more logs onto the fire and watched them burn. After that she shook out her fur, and then curled up in a ball beside it just in time to hear the other's return. Little Toboe ran up to her and licked her face. She peaked open an eye.

_Hey little akei. _

_We brought you food Soui, you have to stay healthy_

Soui just chuckled lightly _Alright, only because you worked so hard. Let the others eat, whatever's left I'll eat, I am your lowest member now._

Tsume appeared from on the hill, looking down at Soui, his usual frown on his face, and then he looked to Kiba with the same frown. Toboe curled up next to Soui, talking with her, while Kiba, Blue and Higue dragged their very large buck carcass. Tsume trotted down the hill and helped them.

_Nice prize here, I'm impressed _

_Would you believe it that it was Toboe to grab the sucker by the neck? I mean talk about major improvement, the runt did great_

_Oh Higue be nice to Toboe, he's learned a lot being with us_ Blue told Higue

_Indeed he has, he's starting to grow up_ Kiba started, his eyes fell onto Soui with Toboe _How's Soui holding out_

_She's fine, her wounds stopped bleeding a long time ago. She's just cold._

_I think we better stay here longer Kiba. It's winter, if she gets sick she'll die. _Blue said quietly

_Alright. We'll stay one more day, but that's it, we have to find Cheza._

The four wolves began to gobble the flesh of the elk, but they allowed Toboe the first bite because he had been the one to kill it. Those five ate quickly, swallowing as much as they could to satisfy their hunger. Soui fell asleep, but Kiba made sure to save her some. The others after having their fill went into the cave to sleep. Because Soui was the weakest link, she didn't really mind sleeping by the fire, she shivered as she slept anyway.

Kiba made his way over to her and sat down beside her as she opened an eye.

_Can I help you? _She asked him shivering in her furry ball. Kiba sat down in his human form beside her.

"You can go eat now, we saved you some food" He told her looking at the sky

_Thanks, but I'm not really hungry...._

"If you don't eat you'll surely die you know"

Soui growled _Don't talk to me about death Kiba._

Kiba looked down at her "......" She turned her wolf head away from him and closed her eyes again. But the he-wolf only nuzzled his head against her neck in a whimper. _I'm sorry... _Kiba could not understand this feeling inside of him. No matter how much he detested her beliefs, he didn't want her angry with him. He pushed his head against her back with another whimper.

_Kiba...would you not take everything so heavily. You try and carry the world on your shoulders but it is the world that's dragging you along._

_We'll make it to paradise, I don't care who gets in the way_

_Lord Darcia will try to kill you again, and he'll be back for me soon enough...I just never understood why he cursed me. You're the legendary white wolf, so why was I scared with his touch?_

_Maybe you're more important than you think_

_Heh, I highly doubt that, a long wolf who's been so wrapped up in her past she let her years slip by._

Soui opened her eyes as she heard an object hit the snow beside her, as her eyes wandered it was only Kiba's head, staring at her.

_You seem familiar_

_All wolves look the same after a while, it's the scent that's different_

_That's not what I meant_

_Stop thinking about it and go sleep in the cave with the others. You're their leader. _

_I don't like sleeping in there, I like being outside, where I can see the stars. Sometimes I think they're other wolves watching down on us, guiding us._

_The stars are too far away to be of any importance._

Soui closed her eyes again and tried to sleep. Again she opened her eyes in a startle as she felt his fur rub against hers, their faces beside each other. _Kiba?_

_Something about you...how can you handle all these injuries, even I slow down after a while, how is it you can handle a bullet, dog attack, and falling through ice and you're still here?_

_I don't know, I just am, why bother wasting time asking question?_

As Kiba began to pull and chew on her ear she rolled her eyes and then laughed. It was a weird sensation, it felt like they really were brother and sister. _You think I'm dense Soui?_

_Well duh. It's in your eyes, people can peer into your soul and see an entirely different world. _She said laughing. He pulled on her ear more and she laughed again _Alright Kiba enough, you're acting like Toboe._

_And what's wrong acting like him, at least he can spend time with you innocently _Kiba told her with his own soft laughter as he chewed on her ear more, resting his large paws across her back, like a dog with its chew toy.

Soui pawed at his snout laughing still _He can spend innocent time with me because he IS innocent. The boy's only a pup, still naive and gentle. _

_OH and I'm not? _He asked her nibbling at her ear still

_Well right now you seem pretty damn innocent, but when you fight you're a completely other person, especially when we talk about paradise and Cheza_

_How did you know about Cheza? _Kiba had never mentioned Cheza to Soui, so how was it she knew Cheza's name

_Everyone knows the flower maiden's name, it was passed down in my family for generations, as was your name, and your pack who would all journey to find our paradise._

_Does that mean that you're in the legend, the one with the crescent scar?_

_....of course not._ Soui said after a long pause _I won't follow you....I will only bring you destruction, that's what this scar is, a curse, and I don't want to endanger the only wolves that can get us out of this horrible world._

_I want you to come with us...._ Kiba said gently releasing her ear

_What's the point of dragging a cursed creature along with you? Darcia will only appear sooner._

_But I think....you'll be important to us. _Kiba told her softly licking at her muzzle, as a human it wouldn't really be a kiss just a sign of affection. _Please come with us._

_Oh Kiba...I don't think your pack is that fond of me. _She told him nuzzling his face lightly, she wanted so much to tell him she's his sister.

_Trust me, this isn't one big happy loving family. We all get along and then hate each other the next. The only two who are truly close are Blue and Higue_

_Well that's because their mates, of course they're close. Soul mates work that way, if they didn't it wouldn't be right._

_So you believe in that soul mate stuff?_

_I had a husband at one point Kiba_ she said dryly _A mate is someone who fits like a glove, who can know you inside and out and still end up being surprised by your actions. _

_Did you ever have cubs?_

_No. He died right before I was due to be in heat, Darcia..._ Soui looked the other way bearing her teeth _Darcia..._

_Soui I...._

_Just leave me alone Kiba, I don't want to think about it anymore._ Soui rose from her spot by the fire and wandered off into the forest leaving Kiba behind to stare at her empty place. Soui wandered about through the endless trees sad. Hagami had meant everything to her. She had found him injured a long time ago, and had been the one to heal him, in that time they had spent together, they fell in love. Just like that, once finally finding the happiness she wanted it was stricken from her in an instance, and she was left with nothing, but the mounds of dead carcasses and stained snow with blood.

Soui was unsure, of what Kiba was feeling for her, and he feared he'd adore her in ways forbidden to the world, and Tsume, Tsume....he had to watch from a far, only when they had a free moment. She continued her walk, and only left her lone footprints in the snow.

Her boots crunched with the snow beneath her as she wandered, but her ears picked up the sound of someone. She turned around quickly, her amber eyes darting around for someone

"Who's there?" She called out

From behind some trees a boy appeared. Compared in human forms, she and the boy would be around the same age. She glared at him nervously, she couldn't well change in front of him, and if she got into trouble she couldn't flee as quickly as she'd like.

"Sorry...I'm just out here for a walk, I didn't meant to scare you," He had short shaggy hazel hair, and deep blue eyes. He was wearing country close, but had a warmer jacket on. Soui stood there still, she wasn't sure what to do "Hey, are you okay, you're covered in blood!" The boy's voice sounded worried.

Soui looked down, and for the first time realized how much blood had really stained her clothes besides the ground. Even though her shirt was red to begin with, you could see the huge puddle in the back of it, her army pants too, she did not have a jacket.

"It's nothing...." She told him trying to walk away but she ached with the pain and he noted her limp. He walked up to her and took her hand and she looked to him glaring.

"Look, my name is Adam, I live a little deeper into the forest, there's a small remote village there, I'm not going to hurt you, but you need to get those wounds check out before you get really sick. What are you doing out here?"

"...I got lost that's all." Soui said quietly looking away as the boy grabbed her hand and walked her through the forest. She shouldn't be with this human, but the pain was overwhelming, she didn't need to be with the pack...she'd bring them trouble.

"Its easy to get lost here, we're at the foot of Death Forest." He said gently his eyes wandering back to her "You don't look like you're from around here"

"I am, I've just, run into a lot of trouble in my life, I'm, not a very social person"

"That's okay. You have a name?" He asked her gently

"Soui..." Soui now wondered if she should've used her wolf name

"I guess that name comes from the scar on your head, its rather unique"

"Oh sure its such a fashion statement" She said sarcastically

Adam laughed "You're funny." he smiled, and she felt calmer. A few more minutes of walking, they arrived at the town. It was indeed small, but the simplicity made her smile, these were not the horrible humans that she had been told about, these were, the better ones. "Come on,"

He pulled her to the door of a small wooden house, and he brought her inside. "Mother?"

"I'm here Adam" His mother appeared, he the spitting image of her, with the gentle eyes and soft hair. "Oh, we have company honey?"

"Mom, this is Soui. She needs help, she's been hurt" Adam still held on her hand but gestured to the many wounds on her

"Lets get you cleaned up Soui." She said gently

"You don't have to Mam...I'm not worth your trouble" Soui looked to the ground

"Nonsense dear, you're barely standing" She dragged Soui in the back and nodded to Adam. Adam went to his room, in search of clothes she could wear until she was clean.

"Dearie what happened to you?" The woman asked Soui

"Just ran into trouble that I'd rather not retell" Soui told her sadly

"That's fine dear, now lie down" Soui did as instructed and laid on the bed. From above, the women removed her shirt and whistled sadly "You sure are lucky" The woman walked to the medicine cabinet, and dabbed some cotton swabs with antibiotics. She wiped her back and Soui screamed

"Damn it that hurts lady!"

"I probably should have warned you, but I need to make sure it doesn't get infected." The woman said gently.

She told Soui to then sit up, and she wrapped the white bandages around her waist covering up the gun wound. As she examined the girl's back, she found the dog bites in her back, and she covered them too. The bandages wound around her so many times, they rose all the way up to her breasts. In a most awkward way, the woman too had to bandage the gunshot on her thigh, many hours later she finished.

"Dear, you really should be more careful" The woman said standing up. "Now come into our den and I'll give you something to eat"

Adam gave the clothes to his mother through the door, and Soui dressed in privacy into the new clean clothes. She emerged finally from the back hallway into the den. Adam was on the couch and stood up walking over to her "How are you feeling?" He asked her gently

"I'm fine...really...you're both too kind." She said guiltily. "I should go..."

"Soui its below freezing out there, in your condition, you'll be frozen in no time. Just stay here, please, for a little while" Adam looked at her with his blue eyes

"Fine." she said quietly as she sat down on the couch. Adam sat down beside her after wrapping a wool blanket around the two of them. The woman appeared with soup for the two of them, and she sipped at it gently.

"Why do you always have such a sad look in your eyes?" He asked her gently staring at Soui.

"Hm? Oh...I've just been going through a few changes" Soui said quietly, leaving the empty soup bowl on the table beside his.

Soui covered her mouth as she yawned. Adam, cautiously, even nervously wrapped his arm around her. Soui didn't react at first, but he lowered his head and whispered in her ear "Just sleep Soui, I'll protect you" Soui closed her eyes gently and leaned against Adam, until eventually, both of them fell into a deep sleep.

"Kiba?" Tsume asked walking out of the cave with Toboe "Where's Soui?"

Kiba was still staring at the stars, and still remained looking at them "She said she couldn't stay with the pack, and knowingly be putting the pack to find paradise in danger"

"What? So she left?" Toboe asked sadly

"That's right" Kiba said gently

"You idiot you just let her leave? She could be working with Darcia!" Tsume picked Kiba up by the collar of his jacket "Are you crazy"

Kiba looked to Tsume with vacant eyes "Did you know she had a husband?"

"What? Never mind what the hell does that have to do with anything" Tsume growled

"Let her go, and find her way again. Soui's lost everything she ever cared about. If she's meant to travel with us, she'll come back" Kiba said unemotionally

"You bastard! How can you talk that way about her?" Tsume knew Kiba did something to make her leave, because Kiba looked sad knowing she wasn't there. Tsume sat on the ground and let out a sad howl

"What's going on out here?" Blue and Higue emerged from the cave

"Soui's gone!" Tsume growled

"What? But why would she leave?" Blue asked worried

"Leader over there said she's just needed to clear her head, but that was hours ago"

"Well. Then lets go find her!" Higue said simply shrugging his shoulders "Blue and I will go look, you and Toboe, try to get Kiba out of his stupid daze"

So that was the agreement, they'd begin at dawn.


	4. IV

**Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain, I do own Adam, his family, and Soui**

**Chapter 4 Town of Betrayal**

Soui lifted up her head as the morning raise shone through the window onto her. She sat up for a moment, and forgot where she was. She looked at herself, surprised she was human, she used to detest the others for taking on this form, but it most likely saved her life.

She raised her arms above her head and let out a stiff yet well needed stretch. Soui noticed that Adam wasn't with her, but she wrapped the blanket around her, and when she did look out the window, she saw that the snow ended just at the window's ledge. It must've snowed all night.

"So you're awake then?" Adam looked at her above and armful of wood.

"Hmf." Soui looked the other way, she had let herself be way too vulnerable, especially around such a stupid human boy. Soui covered herself further into the blanket and shivered.

Adam only laughed as he knelt by the fire lightening a match to the fire.

"I figured you'd be used to the winters if you'd been around here forever"

"Yeah well, I don't usually go swimming in the winter"

"What?" Adam looked at her awfully confused "Is that what you meant when you said you ran into some trouble?"

"I fell through the ice...that's all"

"But..." Adam closed his mouth, looking at the sharp and serious look on Soui's face. She had obviously gone out of character just to tell him that much. Soui covered her mouth as she started to cough a little. Adam left the room and came back with a cup of tea, and Soui looked at it suspiciously

"Its fine trust me, gees you think everything's a sabotage"

"Hn" Soui looked at him again and took a small sip. "What is this stuff?"

"It's a special tea my mother makes, it has a lot of healing herbs in it"

"I can taste them...my mother was good with that healing stuff"

"But she never taught you?"

"She's dead." Soui said blandly.

"I'm sorry...I didn't know"

"Doesn't matter." Soui sighed "She's been gone a long while now, I guess I've been alone most of my life. It seemed to suit me, whenever I met someone I started to care about, bad things happened to them. I just accept it now, I'm cursed, and I was meant to be alone"

"Do you truly believe that Soui?" Adam looked to her

"What else am I supposed to believe?" Soui looked out at the snow, her brother killed, her mother and father, husband, everything she had ever lived for.

"Maybe better things will come to you after you endured such a hard time'

"Foolishness to live off of hope, its better to take action" She said again quietly holding the tea in her hands.

"Were you ever in love Soui?" Adam asked quickly, a thin line of blush across his face that she did not pick up on

"I was...a long time ago....and maybe I still am"

**Elsewhere**

The sound of a lone howl brought the pack back together at the campfire once more

"Did you find her yet?" Kiba asked eagerly

"Sorry man," Hige said rubbing his hair.

"We found a small village a few miles north, there's a possibility she's there" Blue said quietly

"What makes you thin she'd be there?" Hige asked her curiously

"I know she doesn't have much pride taking on her form, but at the same time she was really injured. If someone found her out here, they might have taken her back to that village to be taken care of. Not all people in this world are heartless" Blue said quietly

"Alright, you, Hige, and Toboe head out towards that village. I'm going back towards the lake, and Tsume's around here somewhere, probably still searching" Kiba said, they all nodded and split up

"Blue, do you really think Soui's alright?" Toboe asked worriedly

"I don't know Toboe, not all people are heartless, but not all people are lovely." Blue whispered as they took off walking.

"Blue, what do you think of Soui?" Hige asked her taking her hand as they walked

"I really can't say Hige. I don't know here that well, she's been in all these accidents, its not like any of us has had leisure time to talk to her. Only Kiba and Tsume know about her past, and I doubt she told them the whole story."

"Do you, not trust her Blue?" Toboe asked worriedly

Blue smiled with a small chuckle "I never said that Toboe, I just mean I need to talk with her before I can distinguish what sort of a person she is."

"I feel bad though, for her whole family to die like that before her eyes. I bet she blames herself" Hige said quietly

"She had a brother, she says I remind her of him," Toboe said quietly

"I think Kiba mentioned she was the alpha of her pack, that must really hurt if her whole pack died, including her husband" Hige rubbed the back of his head.

"Hey look!" Toboe pointed the little vision ahead of them.

"How weird, what's a village doing out here?" Blue asked suspiciously

"I dunno, maybe they just like their privacy" Hige said with his usual sarcastic humor

"Something doesn't feel right," Blue said under her breath. "Come on, lets go find Soui" and she made her way into the city

**Soui**

"I was...a long time ago....and maybe I still am"

Adam was looking at her, with a perplexing look as he sat down beside her.

"Are you still in love with the same man?" He asked confused

"When, in my culture, when you fall in love, you keep the same soul-mate forever. But, mine died a while back. It hasn't been the same since then."

"I don't understand" Adam said rather perplexed

"My husband died you moron, that doesn't mean the bond is broken"

Adam was quiet again, I guess it didn't seem morally right, since she only was around seventeen.

Soui put the cup on the coffee table, and she picked up the sound of moving vessels outside. By the faintest mumbles, she realized it was the pack, and she tried not to smile

"I think I should get going," She looked towards the door

"But the snow, its so high out there!" Adam got up in protest

"I can handle it, I got to get home."

"Its not like anyone's waiting for you there! You should stay here with me!" He protested again

Soui turned back around and shot him a death glare "They're waiting for me"

"You're family is dead you said!"

"I have...a new family" Soui said with a smile edging closer to the door.

"You're the first traveler we've had in quite a while, I'm not going to let you just like that" He picked up the revolver leaning against the fireplace. Soui was filled with fear as she saw it in his hands.

"Adam please don't," Soui said nervously, her hand still edging for the door

"Soui...you said your husband died, I'll be your new husband"

"It doesn't work like that Adam, you can't take his place"

"I can sure as hell tried" He rose the revolver so it rested on his shoulder

"Would someone who loved me truly threaten me with gunpoint?"

"Sometimes we must be assertive to get what we want" Adam loaded the gun.

"Adam...stop" Soui was scared, but slowly she walked away from the door and stood in front of the fire place

"That's a good girl" He chuckled slightly, the gun shaking up and down

"You bastard....no wonder no knows here, with the way you treat these people, I'm surprised your mom is still around"

"Shut up! I'm not afraid to fire!"

"I dare you!" Soui said darkly

Adam aimed for her chest region, and as he pulled the trigger back, Soui back flipped and shattered the glass window landing in the snow, dodging the bullet, him in disbelief, and the only sound was a gunshot.

Soui scampered to her feet and took off in a sprint towards the exit. As she ran, (human form) ahead of her she saw Blue, Hige, and Toboe

"SOUI!" Toboe looked happy

"YOU HAVE TO RUN! HURRY UP!" Soui told them desperately

"What's wrong Soui?" Blue asked

"The hunter's back! Take the pack and run! I'll follow you later" She skidded to a stop in front of them. "Go quick, I'll be your decoy, I can follow your trail by nightfall. Tell Kiba and Tsume to get out of here!" Soui turned her head as she heard the sound of another warning gun shot "Please!"

Blue stood there for a moment, staring down at Soui, but saw something she didn't think she'd see. There was panic in her eyes, and Soui continued to shove them towards the direction in which they had arrived.

"Blue! Lets go!" Hige grabbed onto her wrist and began to run off

"Hige....can we really just leave her?" Blue turned and ran with Hige, but found herself still looking over her shoulder.

"I dunno Blue....but we gotta get out of here and warn Kiba!" Hige told her between pants. Soon the town was nothing but a blur behind them and only the vacant sound of the gunshots where heard.

"Adam stop it!" Soui looked at him terrified "You're scaring me"

"Well you should've obeyed me like a good girl does. Girls obey the men, it is the way of life!" He reloaded the gun and took another step closer to her.

"Don't do this, don't be arrogant. You're only going to get hurt this way," Soui was starting to feel her suppressed instincts gnaw at the insides of her. If she didn't resist it, she probably would already have bitten at his jugular, and at the same time fled, for the fear of guns.

"Me? You're worrying about me when it is you who is being pointed at with a gun?" Adam laughed again, he seriously was crazy, Soui decided it.

"You don't realize what you're doing, there's something wrong with you! You're better than this, you were so sweet to me before, so gentle and caring, where is that Adam! Don't let such blind desires make you do something you regret!"

"Die you stupid wench, you're a cursed girl, devil's child!" He aimed the gun and prepared to shoot her down

"The only one who's going to die is you!" Soui turned her head to see Tsume throw a punch right into Adam's chest; Adam's body shook and trembled until he finally released the gun. Soui picked up the gun and snapped it in two with her hands.

Tsume grabbed Adam by the collar of his shirt and stood him up on his feet "Come on punk, fight me like a man already!" But Adam was already lost in a daze, and Tsume only punched him across the face, Adam's face flying back, but still remaining on his feet.

"Tsume stop it!" Soui begged watching as he ruthlessly continued to beat Adam. Tsume didn't seem to hear her, like he too was lost in the savage and bloody rage and instinct of the wolf. Soui listened as Adam grunted out in pain gritting her teeth. The sounds of agony and pain were too much for her to bare, she ran to Tsume and wrapped her arms around his waist "Please Tsume, I beg you stop"

"Let go of me Soui" Tsume told her, his voice wasn't angry nor was it happy. He turned around and faced her, staring into her eyes. She didn't know what to do, nor at all what to say. Soui hadn't expected what happened next, his hand slapping her across the face and her falling to the ground and soft snow "What the hell were you thinking coming to a human village? Why did you just walk away from the pack?"

Soui rubbed her cheek but remained still on the ground, not even looking at him

"Answer me Soui! Why did you leave!" Tsume shouted

"I can't keep lying! I can't keep pretending like that! Some thing's wrong, I shouldn't stay with your pack, you, Kiba, Blue, Hige, Toboe, you all have to make it to Paradise, I'm not going to be the one who stands in your way! Tsume I can't do that to you!" Soui cried

"I never damn said I wanted to go to Paradise!" he clenched his fists looking at her

"They are your pack, you were destined to be with them!"

"I don't believe in any of that destiny crap! All of this is a waste of a life!" Tsume growled at her "Now get up!"

"Leave me here to die Tsume! I'm not going with you, I won't go knowing I'm putting you all in danger, you just don't seem to get it, I'm a cursed creature!" She screamed "Don't you get it? I'm the one Darcia wanted to kill, and instead he killed everyone I loved my brothers and sisters, my parents, my husband everyone!"

"Husband?" Tsume said with a small gasp taking a step back.

Soui looked up and glared at him with hard tears in his eyes "Yes my husband! I'm the alpha of my pack, I'm the last of it and I was their heir. You meet your soul mate once and mine's a dead and lifeless corpse. Don't tell me that destiny isn't real because it's the only thing I have to blame! He's dead Tsume! They're all dead and its all my fault! I don't to live with more guilt as you kill that stupid human boy! He took care of me Tsume that's all!"

"Oh yeah so I'm just supposed to let it go that this stupid bastard tried to shoot you down!" Tsume pressed his foot down on Adam's through "Scum like this should be exterminated" He pushed down harder and listened as Adam gasped for air.

"NO TSUME STOP!" Soui begged again, but Tsume only pushed his foot down harder and Soui watched as Adam lifted up a hand reaching out to her. Soui couldn't stand it, the tears wouldn't stop falling. "TSUME NO!" Soui jumped up and tackled him from behind, him falling forward, and Adam letting out a gasp of air.

"Why the hell are you protecting this boy!" Tsume screamed in fury as he stood back up dusting the snow off of him

"You would never understand it! He has a mother in there that loves him dearly, this town is here and worries for him! You'd never understand what it was like!" Soui screamed holding Adam's head in her hands on Adam wake up" Soui shook him gently

Adam opened his eyes, the vision blurred and groggy from all that happened. He could see Soui's face, but then from it he would see her golden wolf form. His eye's widened, but his hand reached up and scratched behind her ear

"I knew you were a strange girl, how interesting, a wolf with a crescent scar...do we call that destiny too?"

"Adam..." Soui held back her tears, but he simply wiped them away

"Go on wolf, you aren't supposed to be with us humans,"

Soui nodded and stood up. She looked back to Tsume waiting

"Go wherever you want, no one's forcing you to go anywhere" Tsume said hotly

"Tsume...do you want me to come back?" Soui asked nervously

"Look, Kiba and the others, we don't care about curses, the only thing that matters to that wolf is getting Cheza and making it to paradise. He doesn't blame things on others, he simply keeps going. Hell I doubt anything could stop him now"

Soui laughed gently, that sounded like her brother, all the stories she'd been told

"I'm sorry..." Soui then said quietly

"Forget about it" Tsume then took off in his run back towards the pack. Soui licked Adam's hand, and then followed Tsume, who was waiting for her at the town's entrance.


	5. V

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any wolf's rain characters. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!

**Chapter 5**

Soui followed Tsume and wandered back through the forest. She continued to stare at the back of his head, her hands in pockets, and a guiltier feeling inside of her. Tsume stopped walking and Soui accidentally walked right into him. She looked up quickly

"Tsume?"

"Kiba has been in a trance since you left, you have a strange effect on him. I would sort things out with him before it gets overly complicated." Tsume hadn't even turned his head to look at her, but kept his eyes forward.

"Tsume I...." Soui looked at the ground with tears in her eyes, "I'm sorry," without thinking she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his jacket "I'm sorry Tsume"

Tsume grew tense, but his eyes softened, thinking about how much this all really hurt her. Even he, who was stern and usually very hostile, understood, vaguely, what she felt. He rested his hands on hers, and pulled her away. Soui looked up, but he had turned around and looked down at her.

"It's okay...we're all freaks when it comes to this pack"

"Tsume...." She only latched herself onto him again. She felt so pathetic and weak, she used to be the alpha, now she was this pathetic girl. But it didn't matter right now, she just wanted to be in his arms.

Tsume's hands wrapped around her and he rested his head atop of hers "Don't worry me like that again alright?" Soui just laughed and hugged him tighter. Tsume smiled and closed his eyes resting against her. They shared a true moment of tranquility, but it didn't last long after it was disturbed by the lone howl of Kiba.

"He's still waiting for me..." Soui said looking away

"Lets go back then...." Tsume said quietly lifting his head looking down at her.

"Can't time just stand still for a little while longer?" Soui begged looking up at him. Tsume smiled again and Soui stood on the tips of her toes as they shared a real kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he cuffed her face in his hand. It was one long and still kiss. Soui broke away hearing another sad howl from Tsume "I guess time stops for no one..." she took his hand and started to walk back towards the den.

When they only had a few hundred feet left, Soui released his hand taking one last gentle look at him. She shifted forms, and very slowly trotted towards the fire. Tsume held back, and waited a while under the attention was on Soui. Toboe, Blue, and Hige all came up to her quickly checking to make sure she was okay, since she had been the one to send them away. Kiba appeared from the direction of the lake and that was when Tsume made his way down the hill

"Are you sure you're okay Soui?" Toboe asked tugging on Soui's shirt

"I'm sure Toboe, I'm fine really" Soui rubbed his head "Thanks for worrying about me"

"You know, it wasn't really that smart to send us away. We're wolves too, we could've easily taken that guy out for you" Hige said boastfully

"Hige...she did it to protect us" Blue said quietly latching her arm with his

"I know that Blue, I know" Hige chuckled quietly

"Just don't run off as far next time" Kiba said sitting down next to the fire

"Is that all you're going to say to her?" Toboe said worried "She nearly got shot again! And all you can do is yell at her for running off?"

"It was her decision to leave from the beginning" Kiba said again unemotionally

Soui looked at him with hurt eyes and then looked away and wandered towards the cave "You act like you own me, like I'm permanently tied to your leash, you should open your eyes and see what's actually taking place around you Kiba!" Soui said sharply as she disappeared into the cave.

"What the hell was that Kiba?" Hige asked rather ticked off "You were the one who sent her away to begin with, I dunno what the hell it was you said but you started all of this?"

"It was her decision to come, to go, and then to return again. How is that my fault?" Kiba asked again blandly

"Your words have meaning Kiba!" Blue shot at him "You did something, you resurfaced the old wounds didn't you, you asked about her family?"

Kiba said nothing and looked out at the sky

"You hurt her honor and pride" Tsume growled "You don't give her any credit for being an alpha or anything. Your head is still in the clouds thinking about Cheza"

"We've wasted enough time here waiting for her to get better and Darcia has probably sailed miles away" Kiba said again looking at the sky

"Aw damn it Kiba you don't care at all do you!" Hige growled again "I want to find Cheza as much as the rest of us, but at least I have a grasp on what goes on right before you! You're hurting her!"

"I didn't even touch her" Kiba said

"Not that way you idiot! We all have our pasts, mine, Blue's, Toboe, even Tsume, but you don't hint on it at all. But with her, you constantly pry into it without even realizing. She wants to be with us, and at the same time it kills her because she knows she's endangering us. Can't you see the toll its taking on her?"

"She only brought it upon herself, we don't care, so why must she?" Kiba said again

"Alright that's enough you bastard!" Tsume picked Kiba up and punched him hard across the face

"Oh Tsume" Kiba looked at him, his cheek red from the impact

"You bastard, she cares because she's lost everything. She doesn't want anyone to feel the pain that she felt, or the pain her family felt! She's protecting us, and sacrificing her own feelings for this pack and she barely knows us!"

"But....I...."

"If you had a choice to save us all or be with Cheza which would you choose?" Tsume grabbed him by the collar and shook him

"......"

"Exactly! You can't say it right away, because you know you'd pick Cheza over us! You would, you'd leave us all to die if it meant you could complete your destiny and be with her! Well look at Soui, she'd give up everything she had so WE could be happy! That's what separates her, the true alpha from a punk like you!" Tsume throw Kiba onto the ground and glared at him "She's willing to die for us, the strangers, and you're not even willing to keep people who care nearby. You're a disgrace" Tsume turned and stormed off to the cave.

Soui was inside the cave curled in a ball, her head buried against her knees crying. Tsume frowned again and his eyes grew sad. He walked over to her, and knelt beside her "Soui?" Soui didn't look up, she remained crying, but the flow wasn't as horrible

"Soui?" Tsume sat down beside her and shook her gently. "Come on..." he told her gently taking her hand. Her hand felt so cold, piercing cold, but he squeezed it "Soui...."

"Don't defend me..." she whimpered quietly "I don't need the protection when I'm the killer."

"You aren't, its just, Darcia" He said bringing her closer

"Why can you forgive me when I can't forgive myself?" Soui asked still covering her face with her long blond bangs

"I'm not sure, but the pain you're in now, it reflects how you feel about the whole thing, and how sorry you really are. That's enough pain to deal with, you don't have to continue being hard on yourself. They're gone, and no matter how much you hate yourself for it, they won't come back, and it won't make them any happier..."

Soui gave up and finally rested herself against him, and pulled her onto his lap and she rested her head on his chest "Tsume...." She could hear his heartbeat "Your heartbeat sounds footsteps...."

"Maybe I'm always running from my own past" Tsume told her quietly and her hand rubbed the scar on his chest. Her touch sent excited shivers through him. She held him close and he wrapped his arms around her. "You'll get through this...he'll get over it."

"I hate secrets....I hate this Tsume so much. I want to tell him so badly, my brother...." Soui cried quietly against him

"You will when the time is right, " Tsume told her again.

"Don't defend me" Soui said again "He doesn't understand it now, love makes you do crazy things Tsume, sometimes even selfish things. Don't be mad at Kiba please..." Soui rested against him

"I'll try, but that punk just ticks me off sometimes," Soui just laughed lightly and enjoyed the feeling of his warm arms

"Ya think we should go in there and make sure Tsume hasn't eaten her or something?" Toboe asked Blue nervously

"It's okay Toboe, but I'll go get them anyway" Blue walked over through the snow, her hands in her pockets. The cave was deep, but she only took a few steps into the entrance as she called to them. "Tsume, Soui, we're going hunting, we're going to need your help Tsume. Soui, you're going to stay here with me, Hige said your wounds don't need more strain after you just got back"

Blue waited, and her the sound of the two of them walking through the cave. Her wolf eyes spotted them rather quickly, and Soui's eyes looked red and puffy. Tsume looked at Blue for a moment, but then turned forward and said nothing as he exited the cave

"Let's go Tsume" Hige told him "Should we bring the daydreamer"

"Forget Kiba, Toboe can help us,"

"Really? I can really?" Toboe sounded excited

"Sure, just keep up runt" Tsume said in his usual voice

After that, the three of them scampered off, and Soui listened to the soothing sound of their padded running. Blue slumped down against the cave's wall and sighed

"I thought I'd never be able to separate them"

"Why would you want to do that?" Soui asked confused

"Eh, I figured with Kiba acting so weird, the others would get fed up, especially Tsume, sending them off to get food is just a good excuse"

"Bring back food and the ladies have to do nothing"

Blue chuckled "Yeah that sounds about right'

"Thank you Blue"

"No problem, so, what can I ask, what really happened to your family? It seems like we all have stories with our pasts"

"Darcia killed them all. He just kept chanting out cursed wolf...cursed wolf....and then he just, killed them all. I was the alpha of a pack of twelve, I had a husband, brother named Kaze, other family....It was springtime, we had just decided to have pups..." she chuckled "I wouldn't have been the great of a mother anyway"

"Yeah...I just had Pops my whole life, and even he turned on my eventually. But, I have Hige now, and the others"

"That's sometimes all we need to survive." Soui said quietly

"But you're different...." Blue looked up a the ceiling that dripped with water. The water droplets crashed to the ground and left an eery but soothing echoing sound throughout the cavern.

"I know...but in your mind...how am I different?"

"You never gave up, you decided to keep going. Even I was a wreck until Hige found me. But all this time, you still lived here, protecting your family even though they were already gone"

"Is that really that admirable?" Soui asked quietly "All that time, I've lived in the past, focused only on their deaths and how it was _my fault_ trust me, its not something I'm proud of"

"Hmm..the way you put it, it does sound rather sad," Blue laughed 'Still, alpha of your pack, that's still something to be proud of. And don't go putting yourself down by saying I didn't protect my pack what kind of an alpha am I? Things happen to everyone, and everyone eventually is going to die"

"I guess that's true...." Soui looked up at the ceiling too "So, has Kiba always been that, distant from this world?"

"Yeah, he always seems to have his mind somewhere else, lost among those stars. He's thinking about Cheza most of the time. The bond those two have, its just their destiny I guess, it must drive him crazy to be away"

"That would explain that distant look on his face all the time. He worries I guess, but I think he loses sight of the things around him."

"It isn't true, what Tsume said, I do believe, that Kiba would protect us if needed, but Tsume is right when he said, he would want to be with Cheza above all"

"I think its understandable, wouldn't you want to be with Hige above everyone else?" Soui looked to Blue waiting for an answer

"I guess you're right, but I still wouldn't let my friends die without putting my hardest efforts into it"

"Death isn't something I take so lightly anymore. I used to be just very naive about it, but when you watch someone die at your feet, and them take their final breaths, you tend to appreciate that you're still living"

"Are you going to stay with us Soui? It would be nice to have another lady around." Blue looked at Soui with her piercing blue eyes waiting.

"Do you really think I should.? I'll be honest, bad things happen around me, there's no point denying it. In the what four days I've been here you've all been attacked by two hunters, a mad man, and I've fallen into a lake"

"Bad luck follows everyone around, yours...is just a little more noticeable. I think, you should do what your heart tells you, at least that thing can lead you wrong. It led me to Hige, even during all the rough times" Blue smiled "Don't worry so much, what else do you have to lose?"

"Nothing, its not like there's anything here tying me down"

"I got your back while you're here, us girls, we gotta stick together" Blue said with a wink. "Now if you'll excuse me, I do believe Kiba wants to talk to you"

"How do you know that?" Soui asked

"Because I'm right here" Kiba said ducking his head as he walked in. Blue walked by with a grin and kept going, trying to catch up with the boys.


	6. VI

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Wolf's Rain

**Chapter 6**

"_Now if you'll excuse me, I do believe Kiba wants to talk to you"_

"_How do you know that?" Soui asked_

"_Because I'm right here" Kiba said ducking his head as he walked in. Blue walked by with a grin and kept going, trying to catch up with the boys._

Soui looked up at Kiba nervously running her hand through her mangled blond human hair curling up her knees as he stood looming above her. She wasn't sure who was supposed to speak first but like on an instinct she opened hers

"I'm sorry Kiba, I know I really worried the pack but I live with this curse and I don't want to harm anyone else and its just...." Kiba motioned her to be silent and he sat down beside her. He stared at her, for a long time, and finally let his hand reach out and trace the scar. The scar started to glow and Soui closed her eyes softly

"What is this curse that Darica left you?_" _Kiba asked stroking her forehead

"In so many ways I'm not fully sure, but it seems, since the moment I got that scar, horrible things happen to people, wolves, anyone around me that I care about ends up getting hurt. There was no coincidence that the hunter came for me not once but twice, or that Adam went crazy and Tsume almost killed him. It's like I fabricate the line between the senile and the sane...."

"Anything worth while requires mutual sacrifice. In the end you will be given something great"

"What might that be Kiba?"

"Paradise..."

"You're really set on finding it aren't you?" Soui asked him gently

"Its all I have to live for, I can't ignore it, there's something inside of me that tells me I have to find it,"

"Then that will be your fate, searching and searching till you meet the salvation you desire"

"Who are you, who are you really Soui?" Kiba asked, his fingers still curling and stroking the side of her cheek.

"Just like I told you, I'm Soui, survivor of Darcia's attack, former alpha, what else is there to tell about me? You think that there's something more?"

"The look in your eyes, there's something locked away, why won't you tell me?" He asked her in the same unemotional voice

"Certain things of my past you are not to know, certain things no one shall know, it is something that I will carry with me, its just who I am Kiba" She told him softly, every word a lie

"I don't believe you, I know there's something you have to tell me, I can feel it in my bones."

"You're starting to talk crazy Kiba,"

"Why am I crazy for wanting to know the truth?" he urged her taking hold of her arm

Soui closed her eyes and let her head sink "You worry about your little flower maiden and the pack, I'll worry about my own past alright?"

"Soui...why?" He asked her quietly, still holding onto her hand, "why?"

"Let me hold onto the pain, let one hold the pain so the others will be happy."

"Why won't you tell me, why are you hiding it from all of us?"

"Its just part of the agreement I made"

"Agreement? With who?"

"The day my family died, I made a solemn vow to myself; protect my new pack if I were ever to find them. Keeping my secrets to myself is the best way to protect you all, trust me Kiba, if you knew, you'd be in more danger with Darcia than you are right now"

"I'm not afraid of any danger, I'm not afraid of anything within this existence, just tell me!" he squeezed her hand tighter

"Kiba I just can't!" She told him looking into his eyes "You can't know! No one can! Leave it along Kiba, please!"

Kiba squeezed her hand to the point it was losing its circulation and he sighed seeing such a hidden pain and fear. She stood up and started walking out of the cave

"Soui WAIT!" He took her hand again this time gentler as he stood up next to her

"What is it Kiba?" She asked in a very tired and worn out voice

"....I...never mind..." he let go of her hand and watched as she disappeared into the forest, just a copper blur as she left behind her four footprints.

_That was too close, you're letting him get too close, you're going to cave in at this rate. You can't let that happen, Darcia will hurt him, I can't let Darcia hurt anyone else, especially Kiba. I don't want to leave this pack, I can't live without Tsume....Tsume what am I supposed to do?_

Soui trotted to a stop and sat in the snow sniffing and thinking

_Tsume....why did fate deal me such a crappy hand?_

She lifted her head high and let out a long and sorrowful howl that seemed to echo over the white snow. The rest of the pack arrived home with their kill, Soui didn't return until it was nearly nightfall. Everyone was in the cave, snoozing lightly and Soui brought the fire back to life and nearly screamed when Tsume put his hand on her back

"Sorry Tsume...." She whispered gently sitting down looking up at the stars

"Blue told me you had a little chat with Kiba"

"What's your point?" Soui asked him quickly looking into the flames

"You have to tell him sooner or later,"

"Note that word later. Tsume, its best if he never knows"

"How are you going to live with us with that sort of guilt?"

"Guilt seems to be my only friend, I've gotten used to her company" Soui was quiet when she picked up a sound and she looked into the sky "Do you hear that?"

"What is it?" Tsume looked up at the sky

"I can hear singing, I can hear her singing"

"What are you talking about?" Tsume asked her confused, but was even more perplexed when he saw her scar glow just once

"Its Cheza." Soui got up and ran into the cave "Kiba! Wake up! I can hear Cheza!"

The pack all ran outside and looked up at the sky listening for the sounds of Cheza, and to everyone's surprise, Soui had been right, they could still hear the faintest sound of crooning. Kiba instantly took the head of the pack and they all ran off in the direction of her voice, Soui taking up the rear, and giving one last goodbye to her home.

They ran for almost two days straight until the large flying ship settled itself in a desert complex. They remained hidden against the sand dunes watching the building from afar

"They have at least four soldiers guarding every entrance, and they have men stationed on the roofs too, all armed with heavy weaponry" Kiba told the group as they all watched the men walk back and forth with their radios

"How are we supposed to get in then Kiba?" Toboe asked worriedly

"We need a distraction" Hige stated quickly

"Then we'll do it," Blue volunteered looking at Soui who instantly nodded her head

"Are you sure?" Hige asked "You guys could get killed!"

"When has that ever stopped any of us?" Blue asked standing up straightening herself out "You're not as quickly fire at when you're a girl," Soui laughed "Ready to go?" Blue asked Soui

"Yup, you boys ready too?" Soui asked them as she began rolling up the bottom of her shirt.

The boys nodded, and the four of them broke off into groups of two heading around the side of the building. Blue and Soui walked over towards the entrance, when they were about a hundred yards away from the building two men ran out with guns and turned on their head lights

"What are two girls like you doing out in the desert?" One demanded pointing a gun at them

"We're from the forest down at the foot of Death Mountain, but we got lost sir, we were looking for some place where we could have a little fun," Blue started brushing herself up against the man and he blushed, cleared his throat, and pointed the gun back at her

"You wouldn't know a good place to find some playful boys would you?" Soui asked rubbing her torso up against the second man and he started to shiver with excitement

"We might, if you're interested," The guard told them with a smirk on his face

Kiba and Hige made it to the right side back entrance easily killing the two guards before they could even pull out their guns. They left as little blood as possible and quickly stormed into the building

"Kiba, how are we going to find Cheza, this whole building has an overpowering stench of nothing!" Toboe protested running after him

"I can smell her, clear as daylight," Kiba called back to him as they sprinted through the building

Tsume and Hige were also successful in getting into the building, the two of them, not as neat when it came to their kills but they smiled with joy none the less shaking the blood from their fur. Tsume took the lead running through the many metal hallways until they came out to a huge open room, this room with many wires and generators for energy

"I think we found the generator" Hige smirked

"Up for a little fun Hige?" Tsume asked him pointing to the mob of guards running towards them

"Of course I am, fun's my middle name" He grinned cracking his neck

Tsume was rather happy to destroy a bunch of worthless men, many killed by bites to the throat, and a few he even through off the pathway down into the generators below being shocked or just dying from the fall. They left twenty men dead on the floor and made their way deeper into the perimeter.

Soui and Blue exited the bedroom of the two now unconscious men and threw their clothes back on "Worthless pigs" Soui spat at them throwing her shirt back on,"

"Nice acting there Soui, I must say you even had me convinced for a while," Blue told her throwing her jacket back on around her shoulders

"I think that was the point wasn't it? Come on, let s go find the rest of the guys"

Soui and Blue took of running in their own direction, all three groups all heading to the same place, until finally they all ran into each other in the central room, a large spherical room, hanging from the ceiling, was none other than Cheza in her bubble of liquid.

"CHEZA!" Kiba called to her, and slowly Cheza opened her eyes and smiled

"A..Kiba..." She whispered quietly she smiled too and lifted her head, but her eyes widened in fear "A Kiba behind you!" She screamed, and Soui pushed him out of the way right before a bullet shot hit the floor and bounced off into the darkness

"I see that you've returned to me once again haven't you, baka Soui" Darcia looked at her grinning, a fang sticking out the side of his lip. Kiba got up and stood next to Soui and looked from her and Darica

"What the hell is he talking about Soui?" Kiba urged, but Soui only smiled

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be rescuing the flower? Don't worry about Darica, I can take him, I've got everyone else here to help too"

Kiba nodded and quickly began jumping from furniture item to the next so he could reach Cheza's canister. Darcia was only grinning too pointing the gun and Soui

"I'm surprised you're still alive, I was sure by now you would have gone and killed yourself for betraying your clan!" He laughed paying with his gun

"You know as well as I do that I didn't betray them!"

"Ah yes, I do believe it was me who killed them wasn't it?"

"He's toying with her..." Tsume growled to Hige

"What do we do?" Hige asked clenching his fists

"Of course it was you Darcia, you're nothing but a heartless bastard since you betrayed your own love! You couldn't save her so you decided to go on a killing rampage!" Soui shouted up at him

"How did you know that?" Darica asked surprised, Soui pointed to her scar

"Your touch cursed me with your evil, but it also gave me parts of your memory. Poor Darcia, your only love died and you stood beside her helpless, just like I did. It seems we're one in the same aren't we?"

"Die wolf!" Darcia fired off the gun and Soui shifted her forms and took off racing across the floor, her claws making clicking sounds against the marble flooring as she skidded to avoid the gun shots. Kiba watched from his spot on the glass ball amazed, but Cheza tapped on the glass and he returned to releasing her "Ah you stupid wolf why won't you die!" He shot another round of bullets at her until finally she was close enough to leap right at him, her mouth and fangs opened wide aiming for his throat. In a last attempt he pulled out his sword and shoved it through her, but she didn't stop her charge at him, and bit into his shoulder so they both fell from their spot on the ledge.

"SOUI!" Toboe screamed watching her fall from her spot and hitting the floor again.

"Kiba, free me!" Cheza demanded watching Soui in pain "That one must not die!"

Soui opened her eyes to hear the sound of Darcia loading his gun right in her face and then ripping the sword from her and she coughed out blood

"Such a shame, you are a rather lovely creature, even for a mixed blood," He pushed the gun against her temple

"From you that's a sure heavy compliment, are you sure you want that to be the last few words I hear?" Darcia laughed lightly and kicked her in the stomach where her wound was and she gasped in pain "and here...I thought...I'd die some dramatic way...not by a cheap move like this one...you're getting sloppy Darica...."

"Brave words for the likes of you" He pressed his boot against her rib cage forcing it down.

At that same moment Kiba was able to break Cheza's capture chamber, and the rest of the pack began their assault on Darcia. There was a lot of confusion within this moment, Kiba held Cheza by the waist as they fell to the ground, Toboe and Tsume tackled Darcia, and Blue grabbed the gun firing it off at one of the alarms within the room. Soui stood up as soon as Darcia's foot was no longer pressing weight against her, and watched as Darica threw the two boys off, Toboe getting a sword slash in his right side

Darica pushed Tsume away too, but nothing more than a small slash on the side of his cheek. Darica withdrew his sword and looked at Soui

"We will continue this later Crescent Wolf" Darcia backed away into the shadows and Soui ran after him, down the hallway to find he had just vanished

"Damn...where did he go?" Soui looked around for him.

"Soui, that's enough, he's gone" Blue told her gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Are the other's alright?" Soui asked between her tears

"Toboe is being healed by Cheza right now, and Tsume only has a scratch. We were lucky, why did Darcia back down so easily?"

"I don't know...it doesn't make sense,...why didn't he kill me?"

"This one still has things to do," The flower maiden told Soui. Soui turned around to smile at Cheza lightly. Cheza frowned in worry and rested her hand on Soui's stomach and abdomen area "This one will not stop crying the red liquid"

"It's okay Cheza, I'll be fine" Soui told her gently

Cheza pointed to herself "How do you know this one's name, this one does not remember meeting this wolf"

"Stories and legends Cheza, words never fade" Soui told her laughing lightly "This wolf's name is Soui."

"Soui? Scar wolf, you are the one..." Cheza said smiling "It is you."

"Not now Cheza, this one Soui needs to get out of here," Soui smiled at Cheza once more, but looked at Kiba, who was far from smiling. He had an angry look in his eyes, but they all turned and left anyway

"I'm glad that's over with" Hige said aloud with an exasperated sigh, resting his hands behind his head, "I'm glad you're safe" He told Blue, and Blue smiled and the two of them walked together eventually holding hands.

"Soui, you were so brave in there, you weren't even afraid of Darcia! I bet you even Tsume's afraid of Darcia!" Toboe chirped holding onto Soui's left hand, her other side covered in blood.

"That isn't true Toboe, I was scared, oh believe me I was scared, I just, was too angry. I have to get my revenge, I won't die until I know he pays..." Soui told him softly. Tsume took Soui's other hand and draped it around his neck to give her support so she could walk

"You're hurt again..." Tsume whispered to her, Toboe could hear it too and he frowned sadly

"Yeah Soui, one of these days you're not going to be able to get back up like you always do" Toboe added

"Could we not worry about that for right now, I'm telling you I'm fine,"

"No you're not," Tsume contradicted

"Please don't worry about it, when we all stop to rest I'll just curl up and sleep" Soui told him gently resting her head against his shoulder. "I'm just amazed at how easily you all stormed the building, it doesn't make sense it was..."

"It was too easy" Kiba told them finally stopping after they walked for another hour. Soui sat down on the cool sand and curled up, resting her head in Toboe's lap. "Something just doesn't feel you not worry about that right now?" Toboe begged, Cheza left Kiba's arm lock and walked over to Toboe

"What troubles this one?" Cheza asked kneeling down, rubbing Toboe's head

"Soui..." Toboe looked down at her "She's hurt bad, and she won't admit it because she doesn't want us to worry, can you heal her, please Cheza?"

"This one will heal!" Cheza smiled and rested her hand on Soui's stomach. It glowed a violet color and slowly Soui's wound began to heal. Cheza took her hand away and smiled "This one will be just fine," Cheza caressed Soui's forehead "let this wolf sleep for now," Cheza returned back to where Kiba was sitting. It seemed everyone had their own special people they wanted to be with.

Cheza was by Kiba, who still had the angriest look in his eyes when he stared at Soui, of course Hige and Blue were together, but not more than a few steps away from Tsume, Toboe, and Soui.

"She changes the dynamics of the pack so much doesn't she?" Toboe asked looking down at Soui

"More than I thought possible" Tsume answered

"Tsume, what did Darica mean, when he said "Such a shame, you are a rather lovely creature, even for a mixed blood"?"

"I'm not sure, I don't know what he means by mixed blood.... but those two have a connection, because of that scar" Tsume pointed to it, "I wonder if she can see his memories or not, like she said,"

"I think she can...maybe that's why she's so sad all the time" Toboe answered smiling and looking down at Soui "I hope she stays with us for a very long time...."

"Time has a way of leaving us Runt..." Tsume looked to the sky and wondered, what was the truth to the Crescent Scared wolf Soui?


	7. VII

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Wolf's Rain

**Chapter 7**

Having Cheza around lifted the mood of the pack to almost a sky rocket level. Kiba was smiling for once, and he was completely absorbed with Cheza. Sometimes, the two wouldn't even talk, it was a silent moment as the two held hands. Soui was intrigued at how a blind flower maiden had adapted so easily to the cruel world around her, but Soui asked no questions. Furthermore, Soui avoided Cheza as much as possible, in fear that she might find out her secrets and spill them out to the rest of the pack.

The winter snow continued falling even though it was halfway into the month of January. She spent more of her time with Toboe, and even now more freely with Tsume. With everyone latched onto their own groups, it only seemed natural she'd be with those two, and no one suspected a thing about the real bond that was growing between Tsume and Soui. What Soui enjoyed the most, was rolling around with Toboe and acting like a puppy, that freedom reminded her of Kaze a lot, even if it was sad, it still brought back the better memories.

"Come on Soui lets go!" Toboe groaned pulling on her hand as she ran her hand through her gold hair.

"Okay little guy I'm coming gees!" She laughed and her amber eyes sparkled with radiant joy. She took his hand and the two took off in a run down the banks of the snow until the two fell and wrestled in the snow. Tsume would always watch at the top of the hill, almost like their guardian

"Hey that's no fair Soui!" Toboe protested as she pinned him against the snow

"You're the one who wanted to play this game silly!" She laughed and stuck snow down his shirt. Toboe turned blue from head to toe and shivered

"IT'S COLD ITS COLD!" he stood up and did a little dance trying to get the snow out of his shirt, and Tsume from a far started to laugh. Soui turned and looked up at him, and she smiled. Tsume smiled too and he slowly made his way down the snowbank. "Yay its Tsume!" Toboe exclaimed finally getting the snow out of his shirt

"Okay Runt, if we don't get to paradise at least you can take up a job as a dancer," He told Toboe with a smirk. Toboe just rubbed his nose and giggled lightly. Soui crept up behind Tsume and jumped onto his back sticking snow down his shirt "SOUI!" He spun around in circles with her on his back and she threw her head back and laughed until she fell off into the snow and continued laughing.

"Nice one Soui!" Toboe bent over and high-fived her while she continued laughing. Tsume threw a snowball at Toboe face first and he laughed throwing another up in the air.

"Now its war!" He laughed and Soui got up and ran as far as she could trying not to fall as she was pegged by snowballs. The three had their own slice of paradise for right now.

Cheza and Kiba sat on another bank of snow and Cheza watched them, even though she was blind. Cheza let go of his hand to allow her fingers to twitch and trace her own face.

"What's wrong Cheza?" Kiba asked gently

"That one..." Cheza pointed at Soui "That one holds many mysteries...that one...hides mysteries"

"What are you talking about Cheza?" Kiba asked her curiously

"That one hides her past...that one...is protecting everyone...but...that one cries all the time...."

"Soui hasn't cried in a long time Cheza. Actually...she's been avoiding me,"

"That one is afraid...afraid of hurt....that one...will die."

Kiba looked at Soui. _No...she can't_ "Don't we all die Cheza?"

"That one...feels the pain....she feels darkness's pain...."

"Darcia?" Kiba asked still confused. Cheza nodded "Why is it her?"

"That one was chosen....as you are chosen....that one...will cry...and cry...." Cheza looked blindly and tears fell from her eyes "Can't you hear....hear that one crying....Ah Kiba...can you hear?"

Kiba looked at Cheza still perplexed, and then looked at Soui who was down and playing, she at that moment being hit in the face with a snowball. Kiba closed his eyes, and tried to concentrate "I don't hear anything Cheza...I can't hear anything but their laughter"

"Ah...Kiba...that one hides it....hides beneath smiles..."

"How...how is Soui going to die...?"

"That one will die...smiling...." Cheza took Kiba's hand again "Maybe one day...Kiba...that one will tell her story..."

"What story, what are you talking about?" Kiba needed to know more, was Soui in danger?

"Ah Kiba...in good time....this one shall not tell...that one must tell or all is failed"

Kiba growled frustrated and rubbed his hands against his eyes "Why is she crying...why can't I hear it?"

"In good time Kiba..."

Soui ran after Toboe, and Tsume ran after her. Soui grabbed onto Toboe's legs when she lunged after them and the two came toppling down with a large thud. Soui laughed after she spit out a mouthful of snow. Toboe was already off running after a rabbit and she was going to look at the sky but a certain wolf was blocking her view.

"Hey Tsume...having fun?" She asked panting grinning up at him, her clothes were completely soaked through, as were his from the snow. They had ran awfully far away from the group, out of sight, but not out of earshot of their howls. Tsume dropped down to his knees and hovered over her until he finally kissed her. "Mmmm what was that for?" She asked after he broke away from her.

"You take so many risks, the twirp is right, one day you aren't going to get up from it," in a way Tsume's voice sounded harsh, but his eyes, were filled more with concern then anger. "You scared me more than Darcia did,"

"Sorry..." She followed his eyes "You have to understand, he stole my life away, he has to know the pain I felt....Tsume...you have to understand..."

"I do...I know that hurts. But don't be arrogant...if you get hurt..." He rested his palm against her cheek

"This body of mine will not die until I have my revenge. I am surviving only by boiled rage. I won't leave you Tsume, I promise." She told him quietly "Please understand..."

"Why? Why did that one day you first came, why were you instantly there on me? Why was it me?" He asked her quietly

"I can see it in your eyes, how much you want to protect them, even if you won't say it allowed, I wanted, that protection again, I know you're good. Besides, who couldn't love a sexy guy like you?" Soui smirked and Tsume blushed. "Tsume..."

Tsume bent back down and kissed her again, the perfect sight, the two of them together in the snow. His hand slid behind her head and her hand ran through his hair again. It remained that way for a while, until the sound of Kiba's howl brought them all back to reality. Toboe ran up to them soon after, a hare in his mouth, him so proud. The three of them walked back together, Soui's arms around the both of them.

When the three of them gathered with the rest of the pack, Kiba was the first to start talking.

"We have to keep moving before Darica's men catch up to us. Its nearly nightfall, if we travel in the dark they won't be able to find us that easily. It's safer for all of us,"

"Oh boy, traveling under the moonlight," Hige grinned sheepishly and nudged Blue "talk about a romantic night,"

"Sometimes I really do wonder about you kid," Tsume told Hige smirking

"Hey what can I say? Moonlight walks are lovely things."

"Let's go already." Kiba told them grabbing onto Cheza's hand, not even his gently way, but almost in an angry way and she was whisked along, rather surprised.

"I still don't like this," Toboe moaned quietly, but Soui rubbed the top of his head

"Don't worry Toboe. Kiba told me that all the stars are wolves, and they're all watching over us." Soui smiled "You're always being looked after, even if you can't see your protector,"

Soui and Toboe fell into step together, Tsume on her other side, and Soui continued to tell them stories, even if Kiba had told them to her first.

"Are there really that many wolves up there?" Toboe asked curiously

"Well, if there are so little wolves on this planet, then they're all up there. If you think long enough, stars have been around for a very long time, probably since the beginning of our existence, so it makes sense, that the stars grow over years"

"I guess so....Soui....are we all going to be up there?" He asked her holding onto her hand

"Nope...." Soui told him shaking her head happily, Kiba's ears perked listening

"Why not Soui? Aren't we good enough?"

"Of course we are, but we're going to paradise, not the sky."

Toboe laughed and smiled, and Kiba who was up ahead smiled too. Maybe Soui was changing, and becoming more part of this pack than he wanted to realize. The pack continued walking until the sun came up, and they all took cover in the forest thickets and trees.

Cheza found them an enormous willow tree they all curled up under. Everyone was asleep, all except Cheza, she looked around and wandered over to Soui. She stared down at Soui until finally she reached out to touch the scar and she was pulled into a world of screaming and blood, until that is, Soui woke up and pulled away from her.

"Cheza don't touch the scar!" She told her fiercely rubbing her head "It's only filled with pain"

"Why does this one keep the pain to herself?"

"I don't want you to look into that world. That is only the pain, its only the hurt, I don't want anyone else to see it"

"Then why does this one bother crying?" Cheza asked her quietly stroking the side of the wolf's muzzle. "This one keeps it all inside, is that what this one wants?"

"No...its not what I, what this one wants. But this one will do what is best for this pack," Soui told her trying not to cry

"This one should cry, Cheza, Cheza can hear this one crying. No one else can hear it, this one should be loud, let them all know,"

Soui shook her head "No! No I have to be strong, this one will be strong, this one will fight until this one dies, no more pain"

"This one, wants to be sad?" Cheza asked stroking the her muzzle again

"This one...will do what it takes...for this pack...to survive...even if it means...this one must cry"

Cheza nodded slowly and sighed "This one understands...." She let her hands slip away from Soui's muzzle "That scar...will not stay forever...it shall fade."

Soui nodded slowly and curled back up in a ball sleeping against Tsume, whimpering quietly trying not to let anyone hear her cry. Tsume, not even fully awake, wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled against her and stroked the back of her hair cooing her to sleep.

The next morning everyone awoke around noon-time, since they had wandered through the night they slept during the day. The awoke to the most startling sound of many birds flying away, all screeching and cawing with fright as the forest seemed to shake in fear

"Something's coming!" Blue told everyone worried standing up next to Hige

"They're here for Cheza," Soui told them standing up with Tsume and Toboe

"We won't let that happen!" Kiba screamed grabbing onto Cheza's hand

From the forest emerged a utility van and from the top of it topped popped out the generals hat with his hat on "There she is, follow that one!" The major pointed to Cheza in her pink rain jacket, "Get a lock on her clothing!" He screamed before disappearing into the vehicle to let a man appear with a gun.

"RUN!"

Like that the group took off through the forest, almost everyone in equal sync. They pattered along too fast for the cars to roll over the many roots, and with the car always rocking it through off the balance of the shooters. They disappeared into a gully where they all panted for air

"What do we do now Kiba?" Toboe asked worriedly. But Soui was already looking at Cheza's outfit

"Give me her jacket Kiba" Soui told him sharply

"Are you nuts?!" He protested looking at her

"They're only tracking her outfit, and we're relatively the same height. This can give you all time to get away from here, I can pick up the scent later. Toboe is too small, and Blue's frame is too different from Cheza's, the rest of you are all too bulky. I'm the only one who can buy you some time!" Everyone looked up hearing the sound of a crashing tree and more birds screaming. The tank was definitely getting closer "Please Kiba!"

"AHA THERE YOU ARE!" The man began firing his machine gun and they all spread just like the flock of birds. The sonar in the tank went off, the bleeping dot slowly moving farther out of range. One hundred meters and growing, one hundred fifty meters and growing. The shooters intercom went off "Make sure to go after the pink girl one!" "RIGHT SIR!"

The tank took off after Cheza in a quick blur as she jumped down into the ravine. He fired a few more rounds, all just missing her by the scrape of the ground until the commander spoke out on his intercom again "We've got word from Darcia not to kill her, we are to bring her back alive, no vitals you here!"

The shooter was more precise this time as Cheza continued running in a zig-zag formation. She was running up the side of the cannon at the moment he took aim. He finally pulled back the trigger and hit her in the shoulder and down she fell with a scream

"Did you hear that?" Hige skidded to a stop hearing a very painful scream

"I knew we shouldn't have left her alone!" Toboe told them worried

"Kiba...Kiba?" Cheza squeezed his hand. But Kiba was still looking in the direction they had come from. After the scream, everything had gone quiet, the group stood, paralyzed in their tracks, not enjoying the silence, or the scream they had heard before.

"We got her sir," The soldier told his major jumping out of the tank

"Good, now throw her into the back and we'll get the hell out of here, this winter air is killing me," The major commanded

The man walked up to Soui's bloody body and picked her up, face down in the snow, by the waist and carried her like a limp doll. He threw her into the back of the tank and got back inside. The doors slowly were automatically shutting just like her window of opportunity

"Sorry Kiba..." She whispered quietly closing her eyes.

"There it is!" Hige pointed at the tank down below that was rolling away. Everyone was unsure of what to do, until Kiba let go of Cheza's hand

"Take Cheza and get out of here, I'm not going to let Darcia hurt her!" Kiba jumped down into the ravine and ran after the moving tank

"Is he nuts!" Tsume shouted watching Kiba become a dot following after the tank

"Ah...Kiba...he heard her...." Cheza smiled "He heard her at last."

Kiba jumped on top of the tank and desperately tried to pull the bars off the cage that held Soui inside. "Soui! Soui wake up!" He shook harder against it until slowly Soui opened her eyes. He let out a small smile "Soui, Soui I'm right here"

"Kiba, you gotta...get out of here idiot, Cheza needs your protection," Soui struggled to her feet, and she grabbed onto the bars that separated. Kiba rested his hands over hers and shook his head

"I"m not going to let you get hurt anymore, I heard you, I heard you for the first time"

"What are you talking about?" She asked him weakly with one eye shut

"I heard you crying, I could hear it, just like Cheza said you were. You won't have to feel pain anymore..."

"Heheh yeah right, I"m bleeding to death right now Kiba,..." She laughed softly

"Hold on Soui hold on!" He told her pulling at the bars with all his might. Slowly they inched their way farther apart. Slowly he jumped through the window and pulled her down against him.

"You should be with their pack...they're nothing without a leader..." She told him holding her bloody shoulder. He held her close and rested his head on top of hers "...Go back to them"

"No, I'm not leaving you again." He told her, holding her

"Kiba go back...I can handle myself...I"m a tough girl,"

The spent most of the ride that way. Soui begging him to go back, and him licking at her wound to keep it clean, him whimpering most of the time. No matter how hard she tried he refused to leave her side. She looked out the bared window, and prayed the rest of the pack was alright. His tongue was warm against her wound and she tried to resist sleeping. She curled up against him and cried for the first time in a long while, when he could see, not even the terrified tears of when they first met, but real tears, from the real pain

"I'm sorry Soui," he hold her softly nuzzling against her soft pale skin

"No Kiba, I'm sorry....there's something....I've been hiding from you...." Soui opened her mouth again to continue telling him until the tank came to a stop within a enclosed wall and building. "Oh god no, we can't be here..."

"Where are we?"

"Darcia's castle"


	8. VIII

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Wolf's Rain

**Chapter VIII**

_I'm sorry Soui," he hold her softly nuzzling against her soft pale skin_

"_No Kiba, I'm sorry....there's something....I've been hiding from you...." Soui opened her mouth again to continue telling him until the tank came to a stop within a enclosed wall and building. "Oh god no, we can't be here..."_

"_Where are we?"_

"_Darcia's castle_"

Soui sat in the back of the tank with Kiba looking around as the tank had stopped. Kiba held her close, but she had a horrible feeling in her. Her scar burned with immense heat and pain, but nothing she would voice aloud.

"Kiba...when the guard comes for me, what are you going to do?"

"Don't worry, I have a plan."

As soon as Kiba finished speaking, the sound of big boots crunching through the snow was heard. The men were mumbling something, and Soui laid face-down when the men opened up the gate

"Stupid girl, I don't understand why a noble like Darcia needs her"

"Every man has his reasons" Another shrugged and picked up her falsely limp body. They carried her along, her arms and legs loosely waving in the breeze. Soon they disappeared into the castle via an automatic door and a sliding key card.

Kiba had propped himself against the ceiling, making him unseen. He jumped from it and landed looking at the castle. It reminded him of the dome where they had kept Cheza, only, larger. There weren't guards on patrol on the outside. The walls were tall, and the only entrance was a key card. They must've figured no one could get in....never underestimate a wolf.

Inside Soui was thrown onto the ground face first again into a room, the floor felt like grass. The door shut, and the lights turned on. It was a huge meadow, indoors, it was rather weird. Soui wasn't sure if she should move or not, in fear she'd give away her identity.

"Get up wolf, I know you're not her" His voice ripped through the air. "But I figured this would happen, I tricked you into it all anyway"

"What are you talking about?" She asked finally sitting up holding her shoulder

"I'm not looking for the flower maiden right now," he loaded a gun "I'm only looking for you"

Kiba had easily scaled the outer wall, and found himself in the courtyard of the castle. He looked around in every which direction, and closed his eyes taking in a deep breath "Where are you..." he asked sniffing the air again and again to find even the faintest hint of Soui's scent. Kiba opened his eyes to look for some more entrances. He jumped in a tree and he watched two guards walk by talking with each other.

He jumped from tree to tree, following them as they went along, they had to eventually get to some sort of an entrance. It was frustrating for him though, he was running out of time, not liking that Soui was all alone in Darcia's castle.

"Ah...Kiba..." Cheza looked up at the sky holding her knees. They had hidden themselves in a remote area only a few miles from where Soui and Kiba currently were. Blue sat down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder

"Hey, don't worry about Kiba. I'm sure he and Soui are just fine" Blue smiled softly

"Kiba...Kiba heard Soui..."

"Well, we all heard her scream, it wasn't hard to miss really" Blue told her again quietly. Her eyes scanned the horizon, hoping any moment they'd all show up. It was taking its toll on Toboe and Tsume, she could easily see it. Tsume had wandered off to his own solitude, and Toboe only whimpered looking up at the sky

Cheza shook her head and simply looked up at the moon. Blue got up and wandered over to Hige, and he wrapped his arm around her "Worried about your partner in crime?" He laughed softly

"It's different with Soui around. Before, yeah we worried about getting hurt, but with her, what is it about her Hige? She isn't weak, that's very obvious after all she endures, but with her being here, why are we so extra careful? I mean, even with Cheza we didn't worry about as much"

"I'm not sure Blue." Hige started staring at the stars "I'm not really sure at all. I didn't think another member would change the flow so much. It seems, that everyone has taken such a weird liking to her. I mean, Toboe practically sees the girl as a mom, and Kiba is so obsessed with her for god knows why, and Tsume, well, Tsume is still same old Tsume." Hige laughed at his last comment "We haven't had a new wolf join us in a while, and we've only had her with us for maybe two weeks. Things will ease over...hopefully"

"Tsume....hey Tsume?" Toboe wandered the forest looking for him

"What is it runt?" Tsume growled leaning against a tree

"Tsume...do you think....Kiba and Soui will come back? They will come back, won't they?" Toboe asked in such a pleading tone

"Look kid, I don't know if they're coming back! I'm not a psychic. I will tell you, Kiba is strong, and so is Soui. There is no point worrying about them, we're not even a real pack" Tsume told him calmly "Just wait and see"

"How can you say that Tsume....we are too a pack...look at us...how everyone's worried about them....we've helped each other out so much." Toboe's little fists were shaking "Don't you tell me not to worry about them when I know you are worried too!"

"Look Runt I might be worried, but I'm not going to waste myself away like you are! People, wolves we come and go and eventually we all die! That's a part of life kid, and you better just get used to it!"

Toboe clenched his fists some more and he felt tears in his eyes. Even if he was supposed to act like a man, or grown up whatever, he wasn't going to let the fear of losing Soui escape him. "...I thought you loved her..." He whispered under his breath. Tsume looked up surprised, and Toboe ran off into the woods

"You...the crescent wolf, do you know why you have that scar?" Darcia asked her circling around like a shark

"So you could track me down, and cause me all the pain in the world!" She spat struggling to her feet and holding her arm

"Indeed, those are definitely fundamental ideas..." he continued circling her "You really don't know do you?"

"Of course I don't! You're just a damn bastard who killed my family and left me in this world completely alone and destined to hurt others because of this scar!"

"Hmph you fail to see the larger operation here don't you? You stupid wolf, it is destiny working. You had this scar, and then you met Kiba. Your brother for that matter. What do you cause, pain, and what would cause Kiba the most pain?"

"Killing Cheza"

"No. Cheza won't be killed because I still need her. How would he feel, knowing he had a sister, and all the time he'd fallen in love with her? Someone, his own flesh and blood, right by his side, and she had never said a thing?"

"Bastard...you know as well as I do...if you tell him, fate is going to be completely altered"

"Fate was never real at all! It is something you worthless creatures like to blame your problems on!" Darcia told her laughing finally pointing his gun right at her "This isn't fate, its just your death" and he fired.

Soui scrambled to dodge it, still standing as a girl. Her amber eyes glowed with her fired anger. She growled at him, and the scar on her forehead was glowing as well.

"Darcia. You've brought only pain to this world since the moment you entered. Your obsession to bring a loved one back, has blinded your entire life. No one can be brought back from their death, that is only in the power of the gods. You killed my family, and you lost your love. Aren't we one in the same, just on different sides of the coin."

"What would you know of pain you stupid wolf. I loved her with my whole self!" He fired another round of bullets and Soui jumped behind a rock "You stupid wolf you cannot comprehend the pain" He shot at the rock and chipped it away until Soui ran out from behind it

"Oh no? You killed my entire family, my pack, all 12 of them. You killed my husband, my brother, my mother and father. You gave me this scar, that hurts even more people. How the hell could I not know?" Soui charged at him. Darcia tried to shoot, but he had run out of bullets, and he was pulling out another canister to reload "Cheza cannot bring people back from the dead!" With that she slammed her fist into the side of his face and he stumbled back onto the ground releasing the gun midway through his fall. Soui grabbed the gun and threw it into the never ending fields of grass.

"I don't understand...wolf...why do you fight me....as a human?"

"Why do you, fight me as a man, when I know you can shift forms too?"

"That scar...it was meant to slow you down, and kill you from the emotion...why are you...becoming stronger?" Darcia gasped shuffling back on the ground until he stood back up.

Soui clenched her fist and growled "Someone told me, to be strong we must survive, and we must endure the pain. I will not die until I know you've felt my pain!" Soui charged at him as he stood unsteadily and kicked him in his abdominal area. He went flying back.

Soui loomed above him angrily. The scar on her head glowed like its own fire, and for the first time, Darcia might have been some what afraid. Soui was in such a rage she shifted down into a wolf and walked on top of him and stared down into his eyes _Darcia, you will regret, ever interfering with my life._

"No....it shall be you!" Darcia pulled out a dagger and lunged at her, but Soui had seen it and dodged only to have him get part of her shoulder. She shuffled back and shook her fur, licking at the blood. As the blood dripped from her, it landed on the pure white flowers, and slowly they became a pink. "Damn wolf, why won't you die?"

_If you wanted me dead, you should not have spared me that day. What do you want with me?_

"You are that idiot Kiba's sister. There has to be something important to you. Only the destined one could have accepted my cursed scar and survived all this time. I need to know, what magical entities you hold."

_Bastard, one minute I'm not important, the next I am, one minute I'm worthless, the next I'm salvation. Make up your damn mind!_ Soui charged at him aiming for his throat, he stepped to the side and kicked her with his boot and she gasped but then bit his foot.

"I thought you were useless, and I scared you for the fun, but now after further investigating you, you easily show the potential of power. No being has ever been able to make it glow the way you do. It, intrigues me, you might have more power than the flower maiden does"

_I will not, be part of your sick game, to bring the dead back. They will only be shells, without their spirits and ghosts they are useless. What will you use her for but your sick pleasures and abuse. No matter how many times you'd say you loved her, she would never be able to respond, no emotions in a shell_

"Shut up!" He stabbed her opposite shoulder and she scampered back still growling, her fangs coated in his blood "You will help me, and I will get my love back!"

_I'd rather die._ Soui charged at him again, snapping her jaw backing him up slowly until he was pinned against the wall. She stood up a full human and grabbed him by the neck. She twisted his arm until he dropped the dagger. Now he was fully out of weapons "Darcia the noble, there is nothing noble of a love sick man lost in the past" She squeezed his shoulder, and just like that, he was unconscious. She tested his unconsciousness, in case it was a ploy, but it wasn't.

Soui sat down and let out a sigh as his limp body fell to the ground. She looked over his face and body, and finally her scar glowed, and turned completely red. She rested her fingers on his forehead and closed her eyes. She had entered his mind. It was black, very dark, inside his mind she saw confusing things. The Book of the Moon turning its pages, one of Kiba, one of Cheza, one of the pack, the end of the world, and finally, one of her.

"Soui?!"

Soui opened her eyes again, unable to read the page about her. She turned to see a panting Kiba. She smiled and gave a wave "Hey Kiba, I'm alright, he's out for now" She told him softly. Kiba ran up to Darcia. He picked him up and looked like he was about to bite his neck, and Soui just shook her head. "He is my link to who I am. Only he knows, why I have this scar, why I'm the only one who wasn't rejected by it. He knows, the connection I have, with the book of the moon"

"Why do you want to know if it caused you pain?" Kiba asked curiously

"Everything has a purpose and reason. I need to know mine, so then I may know, when it will be completed. Kiba, I have to tell you something,"

"I know." Kiba looked away

"...That I am your sister," She looked at the ground.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Kiba, our family's job for the generations was to protect the destined wolf to help the flower maiden. My duty was to protect you, as my brother, and as the white wolf. My emotions were not to interfere. That's why so many times, I tried to leave, because this scar was causing you troubles."

"But why! Why couldn't you just tell me!" He looked at Soui with pain in his eyes

"Because if you were worrying about me, you'd be turned away from your job Kiba! You are to go to paradise, and go there with all your pack and Cheza. I was never part of that legend. I am here to protect you until the moment I die. After that, you will be on your own"

"No! You're going to come to paradise with us!" Kiba told her, falling to his knees, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her "Come with us!"

"Kiba, I have been touched by Darcia, the darkness, I am no longer pure to enter such a place. I am one with the devil, even if I do walk the path for the justice. I will be rejected, and killed from it"

"No.....No......" Kiba shook his head. He could feel his usual calmness and composed walls breaking down. "You...can't..."

"It's okay Kiba." Soui smiled gently "When I'm gone, I can be with my family...our family again. You don't remember them I guess..."

"Why did you, leave me like that when I was young?" Kiba asked her

"When Darcia attacked, all of the family was dying, being picked off one by one. He was looking for you Kiba, and you of all wolves, had to be alive. We left you with the Indian, because he understood your destiny and would allow you to remain the way you were, without domesticating. It was out of my hands Kiba"

Kiba looked at Soui. Soui was looking down at the grass, tears in her eyes. This is when Kiba understood, why she was always so sad. Why she always told the others to run away when she was in danger. She was doing her job.... "I'm sorry..." She whispered quietly. Kiba eye's widened with surprise until finally he crawled over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank you....Soui....for guarding over me all this time. In all your pain, you put me, and even our pack ahead of your own life and emotions" He squeezed her tight and rested his head in her blond hair taking in deep breaths of it. Soui rested her head on his shoulder and kissed his cheek

"It's good to see you, brother."


	9. IX

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Wolf's Rain

**Chapter IX**

The journey back from Darcia's castle was a long one. With her shoulder injured slightly, Soui walked as a human, walking on all fours made her leg hurt. Kiba walked along side her, lost with the same mysterious expression he always had. Maybe Kiba was still trying to understand everything, why Soui spared Darcia, and why she kept it hidden.

Soui stared at the sand in front of her feet with her hands in her pockets. Her red shirt was a deep maroon by her shoulder, and she knew Tsume was going to have a fit about it when she got back. Toboe too, even the little guy lectured her about being more careful. Soui looked back to Darcia's castle, and knew she hadn't seen the last of him.

They walked through the desert sand together until they came back to the forest again. It was strange, how easily the scenery changed in this world. Kiba howled to the sky calling out to them and about a mile inward they called back to him.

"I can't believe he planned that all out," Soui started staring at the sky "He _knew _I would take Cheza's place for her, and he used that to his advantage"

"Well, you are always the most willing to take other's places. He probably thought you'd do it again after you take bullets for everyone," Kiba told her blandly staring up at the sky too

"I guess. Its strange, he said I might have more power than Cheza. It's something I can't comprehend. How can I, the scarred wolf, have more power than the flower maiden? He must be nuts"

"Well, aren't you the only one who didn't get rejected by the scar?"

"So, I was lucky it didn't kill me, so instead I live with the curse, oh yeah that makes me very powerful" She told him sarcastically

"Ya never know, maybe there are properties you aren't aware of yet," Kiba told her as he ducked under a branch.

"Maybe..." Even if that made sense it didn't comfort Soui one bit.

Kiba and Soui found the others in a clearing within a forest. It was most likely an abandoned den another wolf had used last spring to give birth to her cubs. The trees had scuff marks with claws from the pups and Soui smiled. Slowly the others lingered out of the cave, and seeing them smiled walking up to them.

"My partner in crime, I got a little worried after a while," Blue smiled and rested her hand on Soui's good shoulder "Tough girl, just like me," She winked at her and Soui laughed

"Wow, one scratch, pretty good for Darcia, Kiba came back in like a full body cast when he fights with Darcia," Hige smiled and joked

Soui looked to Kiba and he just blushed and shook his head.Soui chuckled and smiled as a small hand tugged on her shirt. So looked to her left and Toboe was staring up at her with tears in his eyes. "I thought...we'd never see you again Soui...don't scare me like that..."

Soui smiled and wrapped her arms around Toboe and he brushed his face up against hers. "I'm not going anywhere akei, not for a long time."

"Promise?" Toboe looked up and smiled.

"Of course akei," She rubbed his head looking down into his soft eyes

Toboe grinned and hugged her sweetly. Soui smiled as she lifted her head back up to see Tsume frowning down at her. He wasn't angry, no that wasn't the expression he wore on his face. There was extreme relief in his eyes, guilt too, none that anyone would understand.

"Soui..." He looked at her with a soft hushed voice. He eyed the wound on her shoulder, but she smiled it was probably the smallest scratch she escaped with. What hurt the most, was that her sense of pride was thrown out of wack, now that Darica had a purpose for her, should she be at ease that she would no longer die, or fear the fact she was still living.

"Hey Tsume," she whispered quietlyHe took a step closer stopping, but then continuing as he quickly brought her into an embrace so tight. It didn't even hurt her, it was overpowered by the feeling of unconditional love

"You stupid wench, you really scared me," He told her swaying with her back and forth.

"Sorry Tsume," She told him softly closing her eyes "There's a lot I got to tell you,"

"Why don't you tell me later, I'm sure you want to rest," He cooed to her softly resisting the urge to kiss her

"Oh yeah, sleep, such a nice thing," She told him gently

"Ahh...Soui..."

Soui lifted her head up and turned to see Cheza looking at her with her ghostly blind purple eyes. She left Tsume and turned taking one of Cheza's hands. "This one is right here"

"Soui..." Cheza smiled **"**This one is alright?"

"Yes, this one is fine," Soui smiled squeezing Cheza's hand

"This one is afraid?**" **Cheza asked quietly

"Yes, this one is afraid," Soui told her "But this one knows she's not alone"

"And I think this one should rest" Kiba told her slinging an arm around her shoulder. "Let's go get you settled," Kiba walked with her into the cave. Tsume still stared at her bloody shoulder, and the whole pack lingered outside while they went inside to settle.

"Aren't you going to tell them Kiba?" Soui asked as they sat down on the soft damp earth.

"I don't think have to, don't worry about that right now, you need to sleep" he stroked her cheek and she curled up in a ball, her tail covering up her nose like it usually did. Her eyes were still open and she looked up at him

_Does this change anything, Kiba?_

_It changes certain things, but not the overall outlook and views I had about you. I'm just glad to know, that I have a sister, it's a strange feeling, but I don't feel as alone._

_Did you ever feel alone to begin with?_

_Not really, but now I know for real, that I'm not alone_

_What are we going to do now? I'm sure that Darcia will be back for Cheza and me_

_Don't worry about that, right now, worry about getting some sleep okay? Kiba nuzzled the side of her cheek with his muzzle and smiled_

_Alright...night brother_

_Goodnight...sister_

Kiba trotted out of the cave, and went off with a few of the others in search of food. Cheza and Blue remained outside, feeding the fire with logs and kindling. Tsume managed to sneak back into the cave unnoticed, or perhaps he was noticed by Blue and Cheza, but neither had said nothing.

"Soui?" He whispered into the darkness. His voice echoed off the cave as he took a few steps in

He wandered deeper, the cave having much more depth than Tsume had remembered. He came up to her, and there she was, curled up in a ball and slumbering. He trotted over to her and pushed against her side with his muzzle. She just sighed and tried not to open her eyes but he whimpered and pushed at her again

"_Yeah Tsume?" She asked opening her eyes. She stood up and stretched, ignoring the throbbing pain in her shoulder_

"_Are you alright?" He asked licking at her muzzle_

"_Of course I am Tsume," She told him nuzzling him back_

"_What about your shoulder?"_

"_It's only a bullet wound, barely got me, I'm okay, really"_

"_He knows now, doesn't he?" Tsume asked sitting down staring at her_

"_Yeah...he mostly figured it out on his own, then Darica screamed it, then I told him."_

"_That's what you wanted wasn't it?"_

"_It was, but now I'm afraid he'll lose sight of his mission. That mission, is more important then the bond of a brother and sister"_

"_I would not under estimate that bond, its sure to be an important one."_

Soui sat back up and stared at him. Her shoulder and arm fell limp but she didn't say anything. Tsume, sitting on his heels, kneeled over and kissed her quietly. Even when Soui was going to break way for air, Tsume only deepened it moreHe brushed up against her and rested his hand on the side of her face and neck. Soui was pressed up against the back of the cave wall and Tsume kissed her again and again inching her way from her lips down the slope of her neck and back up again.

"Someone's happy to see me," Soui laughed softly as he kissed her neck again. She ran her hand through his white hair and smiled.

"Well, would you believe me when I said the runt got me thinking?" Tsume asked her sitting back on his heels. He thought back to what he had said to him.

"_How can you say that Tsume...we are too a pack...look at us...how everyone's worried about them...we've helped each other out so much." Toboe's little fists were shaking "Don't you tell me not to worry about them when I know you are worried too!"_

"_Look Runt I might be worried, but I'm not going to waste myself away like you are! People, wolves we come and go and eventually we all die! That's a part of life kid, and you better just get used to it!"_

_Toboe clenched his fists some more and he felt tears in his eyes. Even if he was supposed to act like a man, or grown up whatever, he wasn't going to let the fear of losing Soui escape him. "...I thought you loved her..." He whispered under his breath. Tsume looked up surprised, and Toboe ran off into the woods_

"He really did get me thinking that runt, and I decided, that I really do want to be with you. You're always putting your life on the line, fighting Darcia to find out who you are. I figured I sure as hell better spend as much time with you as I can, just in case..." he trailed off cringing at the thoughts he wouldn't say aloud

"In case things go bad." Soui smiled finishing his sentence "I think about it all the time, not being able to see you or the pack again. It worries me so much. But I have to do this"

"Like Kiba and his paradise"

"That's right," Soui nodded

"It seems that stubborn gene runs strong through your family"

Soui laughed and Tsume eventually sat down beside her. He wrapped his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. Tsume looked at the wound, and he sighed, there again there was another bullet hole in his love. At this rate, he'll be in love with a slice of Swiss cheese.Tsume urged her to go and find Cheza and get it healed up, but Soui told him she'd rather let it heal. It wasn't fair to Cheza, to make her this healing machine when it drained her energy too. Tsume reluctantly gave up. The look in Soui's eyes urged her to sleep and Tsume easily encouraged it. Before the moon had even decided whether to rise or set, she was asleep, Tsume with her all the time.

It seemed as though the encounters within Darcia's castle was a moment of the past. Those mishaps and adventures all seemed to be blocked and framed, left behind for them to look back. Soui's wound slowly healed, she had to wash her shirt in the stream, and Blue had to keep the kinky boys away until she was clean again. Afterwards, no one hesitated to jump into the river and splash around for once. It was nice to see Soui smile again. The others could note, how happy she was, and how she never looked at the glass half full.

Cheza enjoyed the happiness too, and she'd whisper to Kiba that Soui was no longer crying. Kiba would smile too, more often then he used to. It felt like a part of his heart had finally been filled. That feeling of loneliness was filled with a blood relative. Soui didn't tell anyone, but she was starting to change. The other's slowly noticed the changes in her, as she ate normally, it seemed the pounds were pealed off of her like extra skin. Her coat, normally gold like her locks of hair, was slowly turning a deeper color, almost mahogany.

When she dreamed, she saw terrible things. Soui saw so much blood, it seemed like the whole world had been colored over in red. There were wolves fighting, there were people fighting, and great balls of fire fell from the sky. But if you looked at that happy girl who was laughing in the stream, you'd never would've known.

The winter snows finally melted away into the happier spring, and it seemed as though everyone's moods had lifted. Tsume and Soui soon became as inseparable as Hige and Blue. Toboe had somehow shifted roles to a brother yet son position in the eyes of Tsume and Soui. She was constantly playing with him, or giving him baths, and at the same time, Tsume would teach him hunting. Toboe was grateful to have this season with them, it seemed as though Darica had given a break only for them to grow closer.

As the season went on and on, the intimacy and physical aspects of Soui and Tsume's relationship grew and grew. They would go to bed together late in the night, and would reemerge from the cave almost a few hours before noon. Soui especially, was in a state of estrus (in heat) towards the end of spring and she was either pacing or grabbing Tsume and stealing him away into the cave. Chastity was stricken from them, and the greatest of love was made. When they did leave the caves, Tsume would spend hours tugging and chewing on her ears or licking at her muzzle. They were like two love sick puppies.

Somehow, between all the heat, father-son-mother bonding, Kiba managed to grab some time with her. He'd drag her to the river where she'd lie down by the edge and listen to the rushing water, and he would rest his head against her shoulder blades. Sometimes, they'd stare at the clouds together, or stare into nothing just enjoying the other's presence.

"What did you do, all those years you were alone Kiba?" She asked staring up at the clouds

"I was searching, always searching, following what little gut instinct I had in me"

"What were you searching for?" she asked him quietly

"I'm not sure, Paradise, Cheza, my past, purpose. I was just searching, searching for whatever could come my way."

"Did you find it?" Soui asked hopefully

"Yes. No. Both, I've found some of the things I was looking for, at the same time, I'm always searching. I think that's our purpose in life, to search and find, in the end, making memories along the way," He turned over and looked at her "But I found you, and that's the greatest gift of them all"

"What are we going to do when Darcia comes back? You know his minions will be on our trail soon enough, even if we've had these few months like this,"

"You really got to him that night, talking about his lover," Kiba told her

"I...could just see her...and all that pain," Soui pointed to the scar "It isn't as useless as I thought."

"Put your hand on my forehead," He told her quietly

"Whatever for Kiba?"

"I want you to look into my mind like you did Darcia," He told her

"But...why ever for, what good would it do for you?" She asked uneasily

"I want someone to know my fears, I trust you big sister"

Soui bit her lip uneasily, she didn't even like going into Darica's mind. It was just something that had happened to her. She reached out and rested her hand on his forehead. She closed her eyes, and her scar glowed a golden color and she was pulled into Kiba's memories. Some were recent, from a few minutes ago, Darcia's castle, rescuing Cheza, but as she dug through them she found a few that had been locked away for a long time.

Kiba was running, he was running very far and behind him were many flames. She could hear the sound of screaming people and guns, and angry dogs running after him. There was panic running through Kiba, and he was only a few years old as a pup. She could see Lady Jagara and Lord Darcia's men in their tanks behind him. Kiba was running away from them so much, he hadn't seen the ledge, and fell down into a river and was washed away. She'd never heard or seen Kiba this scared, even if it was only a memory

"You were running from them...but what were you looking for...?" Soui asked opening her eyes back up

"I had gotten a lead that they were keeping a wolf captive within Darcia's building, I wanted to see who,"

"Very admirable of you," Soui told him quietly laying back down on the grass after peering into his mind. "Kiba?"

"Yeah..."

"Don't make me look into your mind again"

"Why?"

"It's those memories, and those experiences that helped to make you into the wolf that you are right now before me. I don't want to steal those away from you. I know you want someone to relate, but we aren't supposed to understand each other one hundred percent like that. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I do. Will you ever let me look into your mind?"

"Maybe one-day, when I begin to handle all the things I've seen."


	10. X

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Wolf's Rain

**Chapter X**

"_Kiba?"_

"_Yeah..."_

"_Don't make me look into your mind again"_

"_Why?"_

"_It's those memories, and those experiences that helped to make you into the wolf that you are right now before me. I don't want to steal those away from you. I know you want someone to relate, but we aren't supposed to understand each other one hundred percent like that. Do you understand?"_

"_Yeah, I do. Will you ever let me look into your mind?"_

"_Maybe one-day, when I begin to handle all the things I've seen."_

Top of Form 1

Soui and Kiba had a silent agreement to end the conversation there, but that did not stop Soui from having the horrible dreams.

Her dreams were jumbled, with clouded memories from multiple people. She whimpered against the cold stone of the cave when she felt Tsume shake her shoulder. Most were about Lord Darcia. In the depths of her dreams, she felt sympathy for Darica as he cried constantly for his love who Jagara had killed. But in her dreams, she constantly saw what looked like a holy relic and herself, a piercing light and her own life flashing before her eyes. Did that mean her death was coming?

"Soui?" He called out to her worried, a frown on his face as he watched her twitch and squirm against the cave floor as she dreamed. Tsume knew she'd been doing this a lot, since the day she returned from Darcia's Keep. He never really asked her what had honestly happened, he figured he was doing her a favor by not bringing it up. However, since then, things were getting worse for her sleep, but her lust for him grew stronger. Was this his blessing or his curse? He couldn't stand seeing her this way. "Soui?" he called her again

Soui twitched once more, and her eyes slowly opened up again. Tsume was looking down at her, worry portrayed on his usual stern face. His eyes softened, seeing her finally leave those dreams. Her hand weakly reached out and rubbed the side of his face and she smiled. "Good morning Tsume, I'm sorry. I scared you again didn't I?"

"Feh," Tsume looked the other way "You were having those dreams again." He finished quietly.

Soui frowned and sat up. "I'm sorry Tsume, I can't control that. I...keep seeing Darica's past...and Kiba's too. Those horrible memories, bad things stick around with me. I told you that from the beginning, despair is my shadow."

"Don't say that Soui..." He told her quietly looking back at her "Why are you seeing Kiba's past?" he asked her suspiciously

"He asked me to peek into his mind a few days ago. It was the day he was running from Darica. He'd been looking for a wolf caught in the Keep, and nearly died in the process."

"He really asked you to look into his mind? I'm surprised you're this calm, that guy has a lot of issues. That's why he is the way he is now, his past really screwed him up," Tsume laughed lightly

"It's because he had no family back then. He lived with an Indian man, when what he really needed was his pack. But we had to leave him behind for his own safety, I feel as though I've failed him"

"Don't think that way Soui. It was just fate." Tsume told her quietly and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, the sun's rising. Kiba wants us to get out of here. Springs over, Darcia will be back soon, that's what he's claiming"

"Oh alright Tsume," She smiled and held his hand walking outside. Even though no one had said aloud that Tsume and Soui had become mates, everyone seemed to know it anyway. Everyone was content with their rolls in the pack anyway, and day by day Toboe became more and more like a son for Soui.

Kiba was already awake, and smiled by the fire seeing his sister. Sister, that term never ceased to send shivers up his spine. She walked over to him and ran a hand through his hair, having him know was one of the greatest gifts in the world. "Good morning Kiba," She whispered to him quietly.

"Good morning to you too Soui..." he whispered back. Cheza appeared from a clearing, skipping along happily. She ran up to Kiba and latched to him. "Good morning Cheza" he smiled down at her

"This one is happy. This one is happy we are going. This one likes to travel" Cheza smiled and looked to where Soui and Kiba were, she could sense them "Good morning Soui and Tsume"

"Good morning Cheza," Soui smiled sweetly

"Hey are we going to get going or what?" Hige asked stretching, Blue beside him blushing and Toboe walking up to them with a wave.

"Where are we going Kiba?" Soui asked

"Besides to paradise?" He teased

The group smiled sweetly and the seven of them took off towards the east, leaving behind only some dying ashes in their fire place and a few bones from dead carcasses. The group walked on for days heading towards...well...no one really knew.

Soui's nightmares grew worse. But slowly, she pieced them together. Jagara had attacked and killed Darcia's love, and Kiba had ran from Darcia's palace. That hatred was directed towards Kiba with Darcia's idea of poetic justice. But Soui couldn't understand why she was in the book still, it bothered her.

They were walking together side by side when Soui stopped.

"What's wrong?" Kiba asked quickly. Soui stared up at the sky, her ears twitching "What's wrong?

"Silence..."

Everyone closed their eyes and listened. "You're right...it is quiet..."

"We're in a forest...where are the birds...where are the animals...I can't even hear the wind..."

"Something's coming," Cheza told them quietly looking around "This one feels it"

Soui shivered, feeling it creep up her spine like a darkness that floated like mist. She turned to her left and heard something through the woods. It was coming fast, piercing the wind. Soui turned and pushed Kiba to the ground, letting out a grunt as a huge harpoon/arrow like object pierced her shoulder.

"Soui!" Kiba looked at her from the ground

"You all have to run!" Another harpoon came from the forest and hit her leg pulling her to the ground. More arrows came and everyone scattered, Kiba grabbing Cheza, and Tsume grabbing Soui and carrying her away. Tsume pulled the arrows out of her and she only muffled her screams. He wrapped her close to him.

"I won't leave you Soui," He cooed softly squeezing her tight, listening to a humming sound in the distance.

"They've come for me, Cheza, and Kiba. The three links to the gate," she told him slowly

"No...I won't let them take you," He squeezed her tight again. He could hear the sound of foot soldiers belonging to Jagara.

Soui took his hand and rested it against her lower stomach. "They're in there you know. Waiting for their time. I was trying so hard, and so grateful to Darcia for keeping away,"

"Do you mean?" Tsume's eyes widened and his eyebrows lifted up

"Our children..." She whispered quietly, "I'm sorry that I have to be targeted. I would love nothing more than to have your children safely"

Tsume's hand still rested on her stomach, but he stared into her eyes. "Run away with me Soui. We don't have to go to paradise. We can hide and we can raise the pups," He looked desperate, pleading with her. But he knew the answer anyway.

"Oh Tsume..." She leaned up at him and kissed him softly "You know a thousand times over I'd rather be with you. But...I can't run away anymore..." Soui turned around and saw Jagara's men staring down at them. She stood up quietly, and they took her by the weak shoulder walking her away. She turned around once to look at Tsume, and she mouthed to him "I love you" and Tsume sat there helpless again. He couldn't take on all twelve of the men, and above all, this had been her final decision. He covered his mouth and cried. Toboe finding him eventually sitting down in his 'father's' lap, and cried too.

Kiba had hidden with Cheza in a thicket nearby, he tried so hard not to snarl and lunge. Darcia had finally given them peace, and now Jagara's men had emerged. Kiba watched, and saw that Soui was being escorted away. They did not harm her, just simply nudged her along, must unlike the men.

"That one...has decided..." Cheza told Kiba quietly, her voice just barely audible

"What?" Kiba asked looking at her

"That one...has accepted her fate. This one will accept her fate too..." Cheza stood up in the bushes, and walked quietly after them. The guards knew she was there, but did not capture her. For some reason, their intentions were primarily on Soui. Kiba followed too, but the other's stayed behind.

Blue bit her lip and looked at the ground. "Hige?"

"I know..." Hige looked ahead at the three disappearing. "I think it's time we try to help for once. Even if it is out of our hands, we can still go down trying," he looked over to her. Blue lifted her head surprised, and a gentle smile crept across her face.

"Let me go find Tsume and Toboe, you stay here Hige," she kissed his cheek gently, which of course made Hige blush.

Toboe had finished crying and looked up at Tsume. Tsume's face was vacant as he stared out into the lifeless forest. Toboe shook him gently "Tsume, Hey Tsume. We should go find the others. I'm sure they're looking for us," Toboe frowned poking him "Tsume let's go!"

"She's come to accept her fate, and I'm so afraid that accepting her fate will be her death," Tsume told Toboe gently

"No. We can change our destinies if we want to Tsume. Are you really just going to give Soui up without a fight?" Toboe's voice was filled with desperation as he stood up "Maybe our destinies are to protect her until she does die. Maybe her destiny is to die. I don't know what our destiny's are, but I'm not going to let that rule my life! Tsume, we both need her, this whole pack needs her," Toboe urged him again.

Blue walked up behind Toboe and rubbed his head gently, "Nice speech kid. Soui, Kiba, and Cheza were all taken away. You ready to go?" Blue looked down at Tsume. "You ready to save them?"

**With Soui, Kiba, and Cheza**

Soui's eyes were darting around, counting the soldiers, and examining them carefully. Each had their usual sword, armor, and shield's with the piercing sound. There were twelve in total, three in front, three in back, three to her left, and three to her right. The one behind her would constantly push her forward to keep up the pace, and her upper lip would flare with a growl.

Cheza and Kiba followed them from a distance. Kiba was fighting his instincts to run in and save his sister, but he was also the one who had to protect Cheza. He had never felt so torn, but also understood that this was what Soui had warned him about. Constantly she would remind him, his first obligation was to paradise and protecting Cheza, and she would protect herself.

"Ah Kiba, where is that one going?" Cheza asked worriedly

"Jagara's Keep. I don't know what Jagara wants with Soui, but it isn't good," Kiba told her calmly, leaning over around a tree. The men had approached an air carrier and were boarding Soui onto the plane. Kiba frowned as they shoved her on and she snarled and snapped at them

"How will we get on the plane Kiba?" Cheza asked

"Let's go," Kiba grabbed her hand and took off running. Kiba didn't even explain a plan to her, frankly he didn't have one. Swiftly he ran up and attacked one of the men that had Soui, the remaining eleven turned around to face him.

"No Kiba!" Soui shouted, but she was hit over the head and fell unconscious, being dragged away by her back leg against the cold metals. Kiba was furious now, seeing Soui hurt like that. He managed to take out two more of the guards but was hit with one of their sound blasts and skidded against the soil.

"Kiba!" Cheza ran up to him, trying to provide relief, but instead by the back of her outfit she was pulled off the ground by another soldier. "Kiba!" She screamed again flailing her legs.

"Cheza...Soui..." Kiba struggled to get onto all four feet, shifting, but the soldier simply blasted him again, and down he fell unconscious. From her ship, Jagara smiled, now all three pieces of the puzzle were in her hands.

Soui's eyes fluttered opened, she instantly tried to stand up and move, but she found herself pinned to a wall, her two legs brought together, her two arms spread out like a limp T. Soui struggled to free herself, but stopped hearing a feminine demonic laugh as her eyes searched the room.

"What do you really want with me? Who are you! Where's Darcia!" She screamed hysterically.

"Oh dear, I am Jagara. Darcia's lover's sister. Pleasure to meet you sacred scar she-wolf," Jagara appeared from the shadows and bowed in her full uniform. "What do I want with you? Why you're the key to it all don't you know? The flower maiden gives the path to paradise, the white wolf can see the path, but sacrifice must be made."

"Cheza...Kiba..." Soui looked around, and to her surprise, yet relief, they too were pinned to walls, their unconscious bodies sleeping.

"Don't worry, those two are only sleeping. They will wake up soon enough, the full moon is tomorrow night. That is when all of this will take place," Jagara told her cooly

"Leave them out of this...why am I going to be sacrificed when I'm nothing but a wolf tainted with Darcia's hell?" She asked struggling in the bindings

"Paradise and hell are closer than all others may perceive it to be. Inside of your womb you carry the purest of the wolves for the next generation, born from the love and intimacy between you and your mate. You have experience the world's pain, from the pain you learn the good. You were destined to be good but was constantly burdened with the bad. Your blood is tainted with the evil, but evil forgiven by your good. You cancel out to be the most pure and understanding of them. Your blood at the alter will open the gates," Jagara explained

"I won't let you...get into paradise..." She told Jagara struggling, her growls and snarls waking up Kiba and Cheza. Kiba looked around, startled to be captured. He saw Cheza was safe, but Jagara was approaching Soui.

"Soui..." Kiba called to her as Soui struggled and shook her head until Jagara took it into her hand.

"You will be our sacrifice...scarred wolf...and we will be the one's to enter paradise..."


	11. XI

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Wolf's Rain sadly

**Chapter XI**

"_You will be our sacrifice...scarred wolf...and we will be the one's to enter paradise..."_

Jagara held Soui's chin in her hand a while more, the two of them having a fierce stare down until finally she released her chin. "You best not struggle, it will be over later in the evening," Jagara turned and wandered off, and Soui listened to the sound of her clicking boots.

"Damn it!" She hissed shaking her head. She rested her head in her chest and shivered as tears formed in her eyes. "Damn it...this isn't supposed to happen...you two weren't supposed to be harmed."

"Soui..." Kiba called to her gently. She lifted her head back up, and he was just smiling. "Don't worry, the other's will be here soon enough."

"Yes. This one believes in them." Cheza added from her spot smiling.

"You don't understand," Soui cried hopelessly. "My only mission in this lifetime is to protect you. Even if at one point I hated you, hated you for taking my husband away, I was still supposed to protect you brother."

"Soui?" Kiba looked at her with his piercing eyes.

"All the stories about you brother, how you and Cheza are to guide the wolves to paradise. Our packs whole purpose in life was to make sure you did it; to make sure the _wolves _made it to their rightful paradise. Here you are, tied to these walls, just waiting to be forced so man can enter our domain. I'm wounded, I can't even run on all fours, two of my legs are screwed, and as a human, god I have one leg. I wish...Darcia were here..."

"Darcia?" Kiba screamed at her "Are you absolutely mad?"

"No...he wanted only me..." Soui told him gently

"What?" Kiba was confused again

"He only wanted me! When I look into someone's mind, I can see their pain, feel their pain, and your pain lessens. I doubt you've thought or felt the hurt of that memory in a long time? Aren't I right?" Soui looked at him. Kiba turned his head away from her. She was right, he actually felt more relieved, like some burden had been lifted from him. "Darcia only wanted the same thing, so he could remember the good things about Homina, and not the painful ones," Soui sighed and stared up at the ceiling.

"This one...this one understands..." Cheza answered lightly "This one, this one wants to help. How can this one help?" Cheza asked quietly

"Don't show them the path. Don't let Kiba see the pathway to paradise, not this moon. Do everything in your power, please," Soui begged quietly.

"This one will try..." Cheza whispered as Soui slowly closed her eyes.

"In the book of the moon, one wolf will find the flower, and together make it to paradise," Soui sighed still "I want that story to become true. "

"I know Soui...I know..." Kiba looked up at the ceiling as well and let out a lone howl, calling to his pack to save them.

**The Pack**

Tsume at the front of the pack came to an abrupt stop, Toboe almost tripping over him. Everyone stared at the sky, listening to the sound of Kiba's howl, "We're close..." He growled between his gritted teeth.

Together the pack of four tore through the forests until they finally came to the city where Jagara's Keep was. It was easy to get in, jumping over the high gates. Tsume led them to a tall building, from the top of it they could see the whole city, "I don't see anything that looks like a keep."

"It's because it's hidden," Hige explained, "I don't know how, or why I know, but I just have this gut feeling about it," Hige pointed at some abandoned buildings in the distance, "She's over there. I can feel her and Kiba, and Cheza's scent's weak but coming from that direction."

"Let's go then," Tsume answered and he jumped down from the building. As they landed on the streets he looked around, it reminded him of his plunders, strategic thievery with his old humans, "Let's split up. Runt, you come with me. Hige and Blue you guys go off together, call if you need us right?"

"You got it man!" Hige grinned with a thumbs up.

The groups departed down separate roads, heading for the distant buildings Hige had pointed out.

"Tsume?"

"Yeah Runt?" Tsume looked down beside him as the two continued their running.

"Is she going to die?" Toboe asked quivering, "Is that her destiny?"

"We can all change our destinies, you're the one who told me that. You're not doubting your own preaching are you? Whatever happens, we know she has a strong connection with those two, her brother, and the flower maiden. They all tie together. But we'll bring her back," Tsume added forcefully as they leapt over a few street cans.

"But what if we lose her?" Toboe asked nervously as he tried to keep up with Tsume.

"Then we'll see her again in paradise. But I don't want you thinking that way so cut the crap about losing her," He scowled.

"I just don't want to loose her, that's all," Toboe mumbled quietly.

Blue and Hige ran side by side quietly, Blue quick and nimble and Hige by her side "So Blue, what do you think is going to happen to Soui?"

"I don't know Hige, but I'd rather not lose my best friend. It's hard living with all guys."

"Hey now, not all of us are that bad!" Hige pouted.

Blue laughed, "Yeah I know, one of them would give me the moon if he could."

**Soui**

Soui struggled with her restraints growling with rage, she could feel the metal bindings being stretched, weakening ever so slowly as time dragged on.

"Soui, save your energy, that is a waste of time," Kiba told her gently.

"We have to get out of here," She hissed thrusting herself forward, "I have to get the two of you out of here," She tugged again and the metal moaned, "The moon's almost at its place."

"Soui must hurry, this one can hear the lady approaching!" Cheza warned as her lavender eyes grew with trepidation.

Soui pulled again, strands of her blond hair falling onto her face.

"Well, I'd say you have about...oh a hour don't you agree wolves?" Jagara laughed lightly. Her boots clicked against the floor as she strolled up to Soui taking her chin again, "Such a shame. If I thought you were a mere human I'd say you were rather lovely," Soui stared at her, "Except for those piercing eyes. You look at me with such hatred, can you not blame me for what I do? Do we not wish for the same thing and journey to obtain that same thing?"

"We aren't the same," Soui spat as she shook her head free, "You want your paradise for distasteful reasons. I want them the people I love can be happy, and so all the wolves can go to paradise. You want nothing but to leave the dying world you intoxicated just to poison another."

Jagara frowned both beneath and beyond the mask, "Retched wolf. Was it not the wolves we humans evolved from? Is it not you who we should blame?"

"Humans might have ancestral traces to wolves, but we did not tell you to pollute this earth. We did not ask for this harm. Wolves live in families and work in packs, we did not make money, nor make war. We understood the differences every creature and spirit had, it was humans, who turned away and decided not to listen," Soui growled baring her teeth.

"Retched she-wolf," Jagara spat turning away, "I will enjoy watching you gasp for your last breath as you begin breathing for us."

"You will do nothing of the sort Jagara," a voice beckoned from the shadows.

"Who?" Jagara turned her head towards the window, where a dark cloaked figure stood. "Do you see this stained glass window behind me, it shows the story behind the wolves of paradise. One day, the white wolf will be born, and go searching for the lunar flower. By fate the two will be brought together, and a scarred wolf's blood will be sacrificed to open the gates of heaven. Do you see anywhere in any of the books and myths of humans?"

"Lord Darica..." Jagara gasped taking a step closer to him, "Have you finally come to me my love?"

Darcia took a few steps forward, his hand working its way under his cape.

"My love...Darcia..."

"I have not returned for you, you will never be my love," from Darcia's cloak came flying at Soui a dagger, the blade smashing into the already weakened chain on her left arm. Setting one arm free she easily freed herself.

Jagara at the same time looked at Darcia and gasped, "Why do you do this? Do you not want paradise where Homina is waiting?"

"No," Darcia answered quietly throwing a knife at Kiba, "Homina is not waiting for me in paradise. Our paradise is born corrupt and tainted with the hatred of our people. Homina is pure, she will never be there. I only desire one thing," He turned slowly, "And that is the scarred wolf."

Soui landed on the floor and turned hearing him point and ask for her, "Me?" Soui was confused.

Kiba jumped to the floor as well but sprung back into the air as he began on Cheza's bindings, "Soui GO! Run now!" Kiba yelled down to her as he pulled on Cheza's chains.

"I won't let any of you leave," Jagara screamed as she pulled out her sword running towards Soui.

Soui turned to look straight at Jagara, eyes widening at the speed a human could charge at. She prepared herself for the impact, but instead Darcia shielded her with his arm. The sound of his flesh being pierced made Jagara gasp, and Darica winced as he pulled the blade from his forearm.

"Darcia..." Soui grabbed his shoulder as he buckled forward.

"SOUI!" Cheza screamed, pointing to the foot soldiers pouring into the room from two secret entrances. Kiba freed Cheza and carried her bridal style.

Soui pulled away from Darica as Kiba made a run for a door. The soldiers blocked their way and he skidded to a stop. He stopped just in time to see a her golden streak of a body spring from above him and grab a soldier by the jugular. _Run! _Soui growled as she latched onto another. Kiba did as he was told and ran out the doors running through the castle halls. He had no idea where the exit was, but it was better than that room.

Soui smashed into another soldier in time to have another grab her by the scruff of her neck. She was thrown across the floor and yelped in pain when she landed on her weak leg. She struggled to stand, and looked up to see a blade to her nose belonging to Jagara.

"Foolish wolf, did you really think you could escape?"

Soui panted, blood spilling from her jaw "_As long as you are without them, then paradise is safe"_

Jagara smirked, "They'll return for you, its not in a wolf's blood to abandon his kin."

"_Kiba isn't like the rest of the wolves. He's different."_ She growled.

Suddenly, an explosion and smoke filled the room catching both Jagara and Soui off guard. Soui coughed on the smog, blood splattering across the marble floor. Someone's arms wrapped around her waist and she pulled off her feet. When her eyes could adjust she saw the huge stain glass window in front of them, his hands covering her eyes as they jumped through landing on a ship that had been parked below it. He opened the hatch and slipped inside with Soui just as the building exploded a second time. He laid her down on a blanket on the floor and he sat down in the control seat.

"_Why are you helping me?" _Sheasked panting out more blood.

"I still need you for something," He replied in a stolid voice as the ship took off.

"_Are we going back to your keep?" _She asked weakly trying to stand up.

"Not the one you know of," He replied blandly, "You should not be walking, you're not in a stable condition."

"_I've been through worse" _

**Kiba and the Pack**

Kiba was running with Cheza, and stopped as a gust of wind over him rendered him to stop. He watched a ship shoot by towards the horizon. "Soui..."

"KIBA! KIBA!" Toboe called from the distance on the horizon. Tsume was at his side and for once Kiba smiled. They approached and Toboe panted "Where's Soui?"

"With Darcia," Kiba replied in his usual emotionless-tone.

"What? And you just let that creep take her?" Tsume growled.

"Darcia _saved_ Soui. He saved her from Jagara."

"What?" Tsume growled again, enraged.

"Jagara believes to open the doors of paradise for the humans it involves sacrifice. According to the book of the moon as she believes, it must belong to the scarred but pure wolf. That is Soui. It requires Cheza and me to lead the way, but blood to open the doors at the beginning. Darcia took her from Jagara's keep," Kiba explained as he put Cheza down.

"But...but what does Darcia want with Soui?" Toboe asked worriedly.

"Soui can tap into the minds of others, taking away the pain of a bad memory. Darcia only wants her to take his pain away, so he can die easy," Kiba answered again.

"This is bullshit. Lets go get Porky and Blue and find her!"

The other's nodded "Right!"

**Darcia**

Soui struggled with her balance, but managed to wander over to Darcia. They were simply cruising the sky now at a gentle pace. Jagara would have to deal with the explosion before she could even begin to follow. His eyes were locked on the horizon ahead of them and Soui watched him, "Why are you staring at me wolf?"

"_You wish me to relieve your memories, you could easily have done that when I was in Jagara's grasp, you could woo her into anything you desire, yet you saved me. I still do not fathom why"_

"Wolf, for a long time I have been seeking to lose the horrible memories. I loved Homina with all my heart, but I want to only remember her smiles, instead of her painful death."

"_Still, I understand the reason behind it all, but not the way you went about acquiring me"_

"Let's just say, you've changed me."

Soui sighed and found herself very weak, without realizing it, she rested her muzzle against Darcia's leg as he continued driving the ship. He didn't seem to mind that his black pant leg was slowly absorbing the blood that still dripped from her jaw. She closed her eyes and wondered if she was dreaming when she felt his hand stroke the top of her head.

"Do you know why I gave you that scar?"

"_So you could find me again later on?"_

"That was not my original intention. I did not know of your powers when I first met you. I instead wanted someone to suffer like I had. I knew you were kin to the white wolf, and I detested him for being able to find paradise when no one else could."

"_I see..."_

"But when finding two pages of the book stuck together, when they were properly pulled apart I found your page, and your purpose. That's when I knew I needed to find you again," he explained blandly.

"_Then why did you insist on having your men try and shoot me?"_

"I had to play the role. That was the only way Jagara would tell me her plan. Rest wolf, you've lost a lot of blood."

Soui closed her eyes again, and couldn't help but feel comforted by the continuous stroking Darcia gave her atop her head.

**The Pack**

Kiba and Tsume took the front of their group of four, looking around desperately for Hige and Blue. They returned to Jagara's keep to find them wandering about trying to sniff out Soui.

"Blue! Hige!" Kiba called to them. They lifted their noses from the ground and looked at them with their tails high.

_Why isn't Soui here? I can't find her scent_

_Yeah, we missed the party _Hige added with a whimper.

_Darcia took her away in a jet craft a little while ago _Kiba explained. _The ship headed that way _He turned his head towards the south.

_Stop wasting time, tell them the story along the way _Tsume growled

_Right. Let's go _Kiba resumed his spot at the front of the pack and together they all took off into the forest.

_Soui...you better be okay..._

**Darcia**

Soui fell in and out of dreams as she rested against Darica, sometimes recalling memories and sometimes just dreaming about Tsume. His hand never left the top of her head, stroking her like a master would his companion. She didn't have a reason to justify his actions, and it was as if Darcia could sense that.

"I'm not sure why I am affectionate with you scarred one. Maybe it is because we're both scarred, I carry the eye of a wolf and you carry the mark of a human. Neither of us fit into the basic genres given for us. Somehow, I am at ease with you near by," He answered, running his hand past her ears, "You're not a mere dog, but still..."

_It's cause I can take the pain away, and slowly I am, minute by minute _She whimpered quietly as her head slipped from his knees to the floor, and like that she was unconscious.

Darcia looked down at her in panic. If she died, his memories could never be taken away from him and he'd forever be burdened. He checked her pulse and found it very faint. He pushed down on the accelerator and took off towards his keep.

No more than a quarter of an hour was wasted until Darcia reached his private keep. He picked up the limp creature and kicked open the door, no one to greet him in this abandoned mansion. He ran down the halls until he found his bedroom, kicking open that door too, finally depositing her onto the bed. The silk sheets slowly seeped to a deeper ruby.

He threw open a cabinet and found some strange liquids in contorted bottles. He pulled down a bottle with a purple hue elixir. He scampered over to Soui and tipped up her human head, "Soui, Soui wolf, drink this!"

Soui's mouth opened without her conscious knowing and the elixir slipped down her throat. She coughed and gagged on it, but Darcia forced her to swallow. Her wounds closed over, but she still remained in a dormant like state.

"If you don't wake, who will lighten the burden?" He mumbled painfully as he watched her.

**The Pack**

_Do you smell her Kiba? _Tsume asked as he sniffed the wind.

_Just faintly, I smell her blood _He answered trotting.

_Her blood? _Toboe whimpered

_Don't worry kid, she's going to be fine _Hige reassured him.

The pack had been running for at least an hour now, and it seemed like they were just running in circles. Why would a keep be in the center of a forest this dense? No matter, Darcia never made sense to begin with. _Mixed blood...relieve the memories..._

"_What the hell does all it mean?" _Tsume growled

"_I have a strange feeling, that she isn't completely wolf," _Kiba growled softly

"_Well, I'm not either. Why is that so bad?" _Blue asked.

"_No, Its not that she's half wolf half dog, there's just...something else," _Kiba thought aloud.

"_God I can't take this, we have to find her!" _Tsume growled shaking his head.

"_We know you want to find her, we all do," _Toboe whimpered nuzzling his semi-father.

Cheza stopped walking and looked up at the moon, "Soui will be fine. This one knows we are close."

**Soui**

Soui tossed and turned on the bed that Darcia had left her on. Her teeth bared, sinking into her lips and they began to bruise. She started to scream in her sleep, gripping onto the sheets as she withered about. She abruptly sat up in bed, wide awake, panting as she held herself, "What...happened..."

She craned her head and looked around the room she was in. The room was dim with little light, but she found herself on a velvet canopy bed. There was a large mirror and desk on the right and lights that draped from the ceiling. It didn't take her long to realize she was in Homina's or a maid's room. Soui looked down at herself and realized her wounds had been healed mysteriously. She pat herself over to double check and when she looked up she found a dress at the end of the bed. Soui smiled, knowing that her clothes were drenched and crusted with blood. She stripped her clothes, and in her wolf form she licked away the blood on her then finally slipped on the dress.The dress was a strange change from her usual red shirt and cargo pants.

She walked down the long corridors until she came out into a large open room. It was sort of like a ballroom Soui figured as she wandered out into the center of it. On the floor was a large mural, one of Kiba and Cheza, their faces weren't distinct but anyone knew by legend who they were. Kiba stood center on the top of a mountain ledge with Cheza by his side, below them danced the other wolves of the pack. It made her smile and she slumped to the floor running her hand over Tsume, "Oh Tsume. I'm so sorry to be worrying you."

"So the scarred wolf has finally awoken?" Darcia called to her walking across the room.

"Yes, I see you've healed me, strangely I am in your debt," She replied.

Darcia bent down beside her and looked at the wolves, "Pathetic humans, to forgot what we used to be."

"Maybe they were meant to forget," She answered him quietly still running her hand over Tsume, "Maybe all the humans are meant to forget and my job is to aid in that. Humans aren't meant to be in paradise, if they cannot remember their origin maybe then they will not want to search for Paradise."

"Indeed. But if we all humans completely forget, do you not think they will search? Search for paradise, not just for its Utopia fundamentals, but for the past they are missing?"

"I'm not sure what the fate of mankind is, nor do I want to know," She sighed lightly as she rested her hand on Kiba's head, "They are only so few who will ever really know the humans' fate. Will they succeed, or will they all truly die as this world is?"

Darcia rested his hand atop hers, "The fate of the humans, rests in each individuals' hands. They can control their destiny, whether they are to be cursed or to be king. It is the will to survive above all," Soui didn't say anything, she stared at the mural, her eyes shimmering in the moonlight as Darcia enclosed her hand in his and squeezed her hand with a gentle touch.

"The will to survive can be driven by foolishness. What does one have to live for when the earth itself has already died? The earth lost its will, are we not fools for living off hope that does not quench our thirst for answers?"

"We have a mission, all wolves do. Even if they cannot themselves touch the soil of paradise, they can help the destined ones get there. That will ultimately lead to a better afterlife for us all."

Soui closed her eyes, "They will make it to paradise, it's written in the stars, no one can stop them."

Darcia's right hand crept up to her face and caressed her cheek, "What is troubling you?"

Soui let a sigh escape her lips, "I am worried for them. Even if we escaped Jagara's grasp for right now she will return for them. I am still Jagara's concern, I am their offering but I am also separated from my pack. I need to figure out my purpose, there must be more to me than my blood. It doesn't add up right in my mind. Darcia, how long must I stay here?"

"You cannot remove my memories until you are healed and at your prime, that will not be until the next moon."

"The next moon?" She opened her eyes and stared, "Surely you realize Jagara will attack before then!"

Darcia let a grin pass his lips as he ran his hand through her blond hair, which was much longer now than the last time they had met. "Soui wolf, they cannot find us here. The wolves are following a weak scent, and look," He pointed to the window that now had rain dripping down it, "Your scent is gone. Nor can Jagara find us with her home destroyed, she will need to recuperate. I have my defenses and many look alike to throw them off as back up."

Soui thought of the pups growing inside of her, maybe this one cycle of the moon would give her pups time to mature. She wanted to have her family with Tsume._ We have a mission, all wolves do. _"Wait then, Darica, have you been a wolf all this time?"

"I remembered what had been forgotten," He lifted up the flap that shielded his wolf's eye, "I don't know what you could call me, I am both human and wolf all in one."

"Is this what you wish to forget?" She asked him gently.

Darcia shook his head no and rested his head against her, "I don't want to remember this lifetime, this lifetime of loss and pain."

Soui found herself whispering in his ear, almost afraid that she'd break a man who wore a mask, "We'd all want to forget, me more than anyone._"_


	12. XII

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Wolf's Rain

**Chapter XII**

The first few days with Darcia were content but awkward. Every time she woke up from the limited amount of sleep she could absorb she'd always forget where she was. Twenty seven days passed and Soui woke up in a scream and held her head as she cried.

"Soui wolf?" Darica panted standing in her doorway. He was in shirtless in black pants. She held herself and rocked back and forth. "Soui wolf?" he asked again in a, gentler, voice.

"The dream again...oh the dream..." She cried softly. Since the day she came to this keep she had the nightmare. Soui couldn't tell if it was memories from Kiba and her own passed or if it was just haunting visions of the future. Soui's slender legs folded and she buried her head on her knees. She was in her human form way more than her wolf one lately. But when she looked down at the mural in the ballroom she was always a wolf.

"Tell me the dream again Soui wolf, aid me in understanding," Darcia begged softly, the bed shifting under his weight, he wrapped his arm around her in means to counsel her.

"_All the wolves are lost in the darkness, each one overcome by their greatest fear. We're pulled apart in different directions until we're brought back together. The soil is a deep red and we're running towards something. I can hear Cheza singing...but I can hear Kiba crying. There's a monster, a horrible monster, it's coming to take us all away. Then there's a rifle, then I'm drowning in an ocean of black and crimson. There's taunting, laughing, my husband, then cold. When I open my eyes again there's this painting, a huge painting. Cheza and the others are there, and a knife being driven through a wolf. Then there's this...strange creature again...reaching her arms out for me. Pain...then I awaken." _

Soui closed her eyes, remembering the dream so vividly, but lacking the ability to explain the overall trauma and fear involved.Darcia rested his head against her cheek with fondness, "It was only a dream Soui-wolf, just a dream."

Soui's tears began to ease but she still sniffled lightly, "Why...why do you call me Soui wolf and not just Soui?"

Darcia smiled and wiped away a tear, "I must remind myself that you first are a wolf before you are a human, and I am first a man before I am a wolf."

"Whatever for?"

Darcia smiled lightly and stroked the side of her cheek, "I must remind myself of this to prevent my heart from growing even more fond of you. You are a wolf and I am man. There's nothing I can do."

Soui felt her heart give a tug and she gasped, "That's right. I have my mate, one I miss dearly, and I'm carrying his children. Your fondness is only to replace the emptiness Homina left you. Don't worry, soon you will not have to live with that heartache."

Darcia let out a small chuckle and shook his head and kiss her on the lips lightly and then pulled away. He left his spot on the bed and walked to the door, "Forgive my actions Soui wolf," and with that he walked out of the room.

**The Pack**

Toboe sat up and stretched her arms over his head, "Man, I couldn't sleep at all, what about you Tsume?" Toboe looked beside him, "Tsume?"

Tsume was already up, sitting under a pine tree, his elbows resting on his knees as he stared at the sunrise. "Tsume?" Tsume didn't turn to look, "Hey runt..."

"Tsume, did you sleep okay?"

"What do you think?" Tsume ran his hand down his face, "I couldn't sleep a wink. I'm so worried about what that bastard is doing to Soui..."

"You know Soui is strong, she went with him to save Cheza and Kiba. She's saved them, all of us, a lot. She'll be fine, don't worry."

Tsume smirked, "Hey Runt?"

'Yeah Tsume?" Toboe's eyes widened hoping for a happy smile or something.

"Did you know you're gonna be a big brother?" Tsume turned and smiled.

**Soui**

Soui got out of her bed and wandered down the corridors. She'd be forced to wear another gown, Darica insisting that those old clothes of hers were beyond repairs nor worth wearing. She made a turn down a hall, looking for the mural, but she must've taken a wrong turn. She stared at two mahogany colored doors nearly twelve feet tall.

"Something...Something on the other side, it's calling me...it's telling me to come in..." Soui ran her hand over the door handle and it opened without her even trying. There was a bright light as the doors flung open and Soui covered her eyes in brace.

Ahead of Soui she saw nothing but two eyes and two arms reaching out for her, and then it all fell dark again.

"Soui wolf! Soui wolf! Soui!" Someone was calling her name, someone's hands were gripping her shoulders and shaking her. Someone was calling her back again.

Her eyes fluttered open slowly to see Darcia above her with panic in his eyes again, "Hey there Darcia..." She whispered quietly.

"How did you find this room?" He asked quickly.

"Took a wrong turn looking for the mural..." She told him lightly as he laid her down on the floor.

"But how'd you get those doors to open, I've tried everything to get them to give," he looked up at the doors, which were now firmly shut again.

"I'm not sure...I just felt like...I had to be inside...:"

He smiled and brushed aside a strand of her hair, "I guess it's because the new moon is almost here. Maybe it's just your wolf blood calling to you."

Soui closed her eyes again, "Maybe...I just...I heard a voice inside...it said... 'Don't worry Soui, the scars will be removed now. This is your destiny'"

"Interesting, come, let's go find that mural for you," Darcia took her hands and pulled her up to her feet. She nodded her head slowly and he pulled her down the hallways with a smile on his face.

_She's changed me. I know longer feel the darkness in my heart. Homina no longer pains me, but instead the two are one in the same. They both have their loving eyes, and loving hearts. Was this what you wanted for me Homina? You knew after you died you still wanted me to be happy?_

He brought his run to a walk as he pulled Soui to the center of the room, "You know, this used to be Homina's favorite place."

"Really?" Soui seemed intrigued.

"Indeed, she used to look up at the skylight and urge me to dance with her under the moon. I made this room just for her, because the moon's reflection poured through here all the time."

"How kind of you," Soui smiled sincerely and looked up at the skylight, "It's a lovely place. I'm sure she shone with the most beauty, you must really have loved her."

"Indeed, and I lost her to paradise. Her mind is forever locked away there, and Jagara killed her. That's why I will not have the humans open up paradise," Darcia replied sternly.

"As long as I don't die, then everyone is safe. I could die now, and prevent even the threat come to think of it..." Soui added sadly, looking at the ground, "Wouldn't it be doing you a favor, eliminating the threat. If you lose a piece of the key, the door won't be open."

Darcia shook his head and took her hands, "Why must you sacrifice everything? You deserve a life just as Kiba and Cheza have gained."

"I had my fun, I don't want to be responsible for the pain of others," Soui whispered.

"If anything you have relieved our pains, just as the scar has taught you. Please...Soui, dance with me here just as Homina did."

Soui looked up at him with her beautiful eyes, (I forgot what color...weren't they amber?), he took her hand in his and wrapped the other around her back. There wasn't any music, but the silence allowed Soui just to listen, listen to the sound of his heart beat against its cage. The waltz together in a circle above the mural and beneath the moonlight. When they finished, Darcia leaned in to steal her lips again, but she stopped him by grabbing her stomach in surprise.

"What's wrong Soui wolf?" He asked perplexed.

She giggled once or twice, "They kicked," She grinned with such joy, "They're starting to move."

Darcia smiled and embraced her lightly, resting his face against hers, "Forgive me please..."

**Kiba and the Pack**

"I'm going to be a brother! Hehehe!" Toboe hugged Tsume and nuzzled his cheek. Tsume was a bright red, it was kind of embarrassing since earlier the Runt was just shocked that Tsume and Soui had mated and everything.

"What's going on?" Kiba asked as he climbed up the hill.

"I'm going to be a brother Kiba and Tsume is going to be a dad!" Toboe chirped.

Kiba's eyes widened, and a small grin formed on his face, "Really now? This is some big news"

"What, don't tell me you didn't notice it before?" Blue asked hiking up with Hige holding her hand, "I knew a long time ago back in the spring! It's almost summer now..."

Tsume sighed, "I hate being away from her."

"We'll find her, I know we're close. We'll find sister," Kiba reminded Tsume patting his shoulder.

**Soui**

Soui had left Darcia to her own sanctuary of privacy. She was outside on the balcony that connected to her bedroom. It was still only the later hours of morning. Although the mansion was big, there wasn't a lot for her to do. Darcia drowned himself in books about the wolves seeing all the possibilities and outcomes. Soui leaned on the railing and stared out at the forest, "Oh...I want to go and run again...I want to be out there..."

She slammed her head against the railing once, leaving a red mark on her forehead, "I want to be back with Tsume, Kiba, Cheza, Toboe, Blue, Hige, I want to be with all of them. I want them to be here when my kids arrive." She couldn't help but growl in frustration as she paced back and forth, "They'll be here soon too, I can feel it."

Soui's ears picked up on a sound and she lifted her head up, in the distance, very far away, she could hear the sound of an engine. "Oh no...Jagara..." Soui ran from the balcony past her bedroom and into the hallway. She had no idea where Darcia was she looked left and right, "Darcia! Darcia! Darcia, Jagara is — " Soui felt another kick in her stomach, but this time a heavy one. She fell to her knees and let out a sharp breath. "I wasn't expecting them for another two days..." Soui winced again under another contraction and whimpered as she shifted to a wolf. She managed to get herself back into her bedroom where the bedding was she had prepared and sighed. _This isn't good. Darcia needs to know Jagara is coming... _Soui lifted her head and let out a desperate howl. _Please let that wolf inside of you hear me._

**The Pack**

Meanwhile, everyone was celebrating the announcement of Tsume being a father when something caught Cheza's ear. "Soui!"

"What?" Everyone turned around, already missing Soui's very faint howl, but Cheza was clasping her hands together and jumping.

"This one heard Soui! This one heard her!" She pointed to the horizon, "She isn't far. This one knows she isn't far. Soui wolf is having her puppies!"

"Aw man that isn't fair, I"m going to miss it!" Tsume complained getting up, but he was still grinning, "Let's go, she can't be much farther than the horizon."

Everyone nodded and took off, way happier now then ever.

**Soui**

Darcia was in the library. He was rereading the book of the moon by candlelight, his eyes skimming the pages. He knew the book inside and out, he'd already reread it maybe ten times. He ran his hand over his eyes, staring out the window. "This wasn't supposed to happen."

Darcia's thoughts were brought to a halt as he heard a howl from somewhere within the building, "Soui!" He grabbed the book, tucking it under his cloak, and fled the library. He flew through the corridors until he threw open her door and found her on the bedding. At first he was rather embarrassed, then concerned, then confused, "What's wrong wolf, besides, the obvious"

"_...Darica...I heard a chopper in the distance...Jagara's men...they're coming back!"_ Soui winced as she panted. She closed her eyes in another contraction, "_I'm out of commission with these puppies, even the aftermath I won't be able to defend myself. I wasn't expecting them for another two days, you need to make sure nothing happens._

Darcia nodded his head, "I'll go get our defenses ready, safe delivery Soui wolf," with that Darcia turned and sped out the room.

Soui sighed and then cried out again from another contraction.

**The Pack**

"Do you guys hear that?" Blue asked looking up at the sky.

Hige closed his eyes and listened, "I think I hear...a plane of some kind."

"The only buildings out here are probably Darcia's keep, that means," Kiba started aloud,

"That means they're going the same place we are," Tsume finished putting it all together.

"We better hurry, we want to beat that plane," Kiba added.

Although they were ahead of the plane, they sprinted onward.

**Soui**

A few hours later, Soui's pink tongue was stroking the coats of her four puppies. There were three boys and one girl. The girl's coat was amber like Soui's, and the boys were gray like Tsume. Ironic how that turned out. Soui marveled at her children as they suckled on her. She smiled, her eyes and whole body drained of their vigor and energy. She rested her head against her comforter when the door opened.

_Soui wolf?_

Soui opened up her eyes again to see a black wolf _Hey... _

He nuzzled and licked the side of her face as he laid down beside her _They're beautiful_

_Thanks. _Soui rested her head and closed her eyes again.

_Everything's in set. They're still a few hundred miles from us, there's a barrier over the building and other necessary precautions._

_That's good..._she mumbled quietly.

Darcia nuzzled the side of her face and then allowed her to sleep, resting his head on her neck he remained watchful guardian for the four puppies.

"_**Don't worry Soui, the scars will be removed now. This is your destiny'"**_

Soui picked her head up from a startled dream. She looked around the room, her eyes blinking as the haze lifted from the sleep. Her pups were sleeping in a happy bundle, and Darcia was still beside her. She was still weak from the delivery, but she squirmed away and stood up on all fours. Her pads clicked against the floor and she walked through the open door.

Looking down the hall, she wasn't sure where to go, since she had only found that door by mistake. She trotted slowly, making random turns through the never ending maze of Darcia's keep. There was a feeling pulling her back to the door again, that same feeling as earlier. When she came to the door, she watched them open, just in time to have Jagara crash through the ballroom ceiling with her ship. She whipped her head around, "_Too late!"_


	13. XIII Finale

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Wolf's Rain

**Chapter 13**

Flashback-

**_Don't worry Soui, the scars will be removed now. This is your destiny'"_**

_Soui picked her head up from a startled dream. She looked around the room, her eyes blinking as the haze lifted from the sleep. Her pups were sleeping in a happy bundle, and Darcia was still beside her. She was still weak from the delivery, but she squirmed away and stood up on all fours. Her pads clicked against the floor and she walked through the open door._

_Looking down the hall, she wasn't sure where to go, since she had only found that door by mistake. She trotted slowly, making random turns through the never ending maze of Darcia's keep. There was a feeling pulling her back to the door again, that same feeling as earlier. When she came to the door, she watched them open, just in time to have Jagara crash through the ballroom ceiling with her ship. She whipped her head around, "Too late!"_

For a moment Soui wasn't sure what to do, this calling of her destiny might help them. Soui dismissed the idea almost immediately afterwards, her pups worth more than her own life. Her pups, were Tsume _and_ Soui's life.

She skidded down the hallways and ran to the main hall where Darcia was already standing, hair risen on his back, snarling as Jagara climbed out of her ship. She stopped, when she saw Darcia and covered her mouth in shock, "My lord Darcia, what has happened to you?"

_Do not dare speak to me you bitch, I have returned to the form I belong in._

Jagara took another step towards him, her arms around her like she wanted to hug him with endearment but Darcia snarled, "My lord, what has this retched bitch done to you!" She pointed at Soui who instantly growled, "You look so frail scarred wolf, how disappointing you won't be at your prime," she drew her sword, "When we offer you to the gate!"

_I'm not dying tonight! _Soui snarled as she lunged at Jagara

_Soui wait! _Darcia wiped his head around to watch the wolf he had become so attached to run up to Jagara just to have an army of men appear behind her. Soui skidded to a stop and turned abruptly to the right. The men sank each to one knee firing off the sonar shields. Soui managed to get up on the wall and run against the glass of the windows, jumping over the air ship to smash into one of the shoulders while sinking her teeth into his neck. Darcia took the opportunity to run up at Jagara, Jagara surprised swung the sword but missed him, "My love I don't wish to fight you"

_Call me that again bitch and you'll wish you hadn't! _He snarled snapping his teeth at the blade.

**Kiba**

"Kiba!" Cheza called looking up at the sky, "Look at the sky Kiba," Kiba and the group stopped their running and looked at the sky. The sky was not an ugly black color, and the moon was a bloody red, "It's coming, the time is fast and coming."

"We've got to hurry," Kiba muttered as he looked away from the sky.

"Kiba? What's wrong with the sky?" as Toboe in a panicked voice.

"The end of the world is coming," Tsume growled, "Jagara is going to try and open the gate, using Soui at the alter...I've been having...horrible nightmares about it!"

"Then what the heck are we doing standing around here for?" Hige chirped, "We've got a girl to save!"

"Hey Guys!" Blue called from the hill ahead of them, "I think I've found Darcia's Keep!" The group scrambled up to the top of the hill, and Blue pointed to a castle that seemed to float about the tree tops, "Apparently they already have company," Blue pointed to the smoke that was seeping from the hole in the roof.

"Let's go!" Kiba growled, together the pack took off again.

**Soui and Darcia**

Soui had managed to take out three guards before one threw her across the room. Darcia turned and called to her, but she managed to get back up on her feet and spit out blood. He nuzzled at her muzzle (Whoa now I just rhymed) and she simply panted. _I can't keep this up Darcia, I don't have the strength. I need to get to that room, the one that's calling to me._

_Go, I'll hold her off. _She shook her head in no, she wouldn't leave him hear to face another five guards and Jagara _You're the only one who can open that door, and the only one who might be able to save us. Go, for your children's sake_

_Be careful Darcia _Soui took off down the hallway.

"After her! Don't let our sacrifice escape!" Jagara pointed her sword at the direction Soui went and five soldiers took off after her.

Soui looked over her shoulder as she continued running, eyeing the five soldiers who followed her. She halted at the door and scratched on it until it opened for her. The minute she walked inside, the doors shut. The soldiers began pounding against the door, but the sound of them was drowned out as Soui entered this strange room.

_What is this place... _She wondered as she walked forward into the darkness

**This is your destiny **a voice called out.

"_Who's here?" _she asked growling.

**Do not be afraid. I am not your enemy.**

"_Show yourself to me!" _she snarled, her copper and black fur spiking on her back.

Upon command, torches on every pillar of the room ignited to light the room. Ahead of Soui was a large golden alter, and behind it was a tapestry that explained the journey to paradise. What confused Soui the most, was the person who was sitting on the alter, herself.

"_What is this? Who are you and why do you look like my human form?" _Soui snarled taking a fighting stance

"I don't mean you harm," The look-alike waved, "I am here to help. You're confused, I can tell, allow me to explain," The human Soui jumped down from the alter and walked over to the tapestry, "Do you know why neither of us are drawn on this tapestry?"

"_WE aren't part of the legend, I've known that all along." _

The human smiled, "That's not true, the fact is, we've been there all along. Do you know what keeps the balance in the world?"

_Dark and Light, _She growled lightly.

"Correct. But tell me, if there is supposed to be a balance, why is the world outside dying as we speak?" The girl asked running her hand through her blonde hair.

"_I...I don't know." _

She smiled again, "Well it's because we haven't been around." The wolf looked at the girl in bewilderment, "You still don't understand do you? Tell me, do you know what Hope is?"

"_Hope isn't anything real. We can hope an entire lifetime and have nothing."_

"Correct," She moved aside a few strands of her hair and pointed to the scar, "Do you know what this scar symbolizes?"

"_Darcia marking us so we could remove the horrible memories of Homina?"_

Soui shook her head, "That's what he claims, but the lords above us had a different idea. Mother earth gave us this mark. We _are_ Hope."

"_I still don't get it. Us...Hope?"_

The girl smiled, "Do you remember when you first met Kiba, you were bent on killing him. You wanted to avenge the family you had lost. When you couldn't kill him, deep down, you hoped they'd accept you. You have a balance in yourself wolf; if you had doubts those doubts became real, like every time you were shot or injured. When you had hope, and you fought for something you wanted you were alright. That's why you never died. This is also why the world is crumbling"

"_The world's crumbling because of me?"_

The girl laughed, "No, you misunderstand, it's not us who failed the world, the humans failed the world. They stopped having hope, and instead became corrupt over their material possessions. Those humans have killed almost all the wolves, there's almost no believers. You've been reborn countless times, just as Kiba and the other destined ones. Unfortunately, this time, it took you far longer to awaken and even be reborn. _"_

"_I...still don't understand"_

The girl ran her hand over the scar again, "Hope is what keeps the world in balance, not light and darkness. Light and darkness rely on hope. Hope can be negative, wasting away a life waiting, or can be salvation, hoping for paradise like the wolves. That's why this world is crumbled, the wolves remain hopeful and the humans override with none."

"_Why does that explain why we're not on the tapestry?" _Soui growled, still not totally buying this.

The girl ran her hand over the tapestry, "But we are. Every seem and every stitch, is made from strings of hope and life. Every stitch of every figure, is filled with hope. We are in everyone, and everyone is a part of us."

"_How are you even here?" _Soui snarled.

"How would I know, I'm just a messenger," The girl shrugged and smiled, "Maybe your human half came to love Darcia, and your wolf will forever love Tsume. Maybe they thought it was about time to split."

_Soui looked down at the floor, trying to see if she could become a human, and she stood up and was human again. _"Who are you, really, tell me or I will tear you apart"

The girl ran her hand over the scar, "I told you. I am you. I am the darkness that's in your heart."

Soui braced herself, "If you are the darkness why go so far to tell me all this?"

The darkness smiled, "Everyone should know why they are destined to die," In a flash she was face to face with Soui smashing her fist into her, "The whole world has given up on you, how is it that you can still be living!" The darkness screamed as she kicked Soui across the room.

_Soui switched her forms and struggled to her feet, "Stop it. I am still alive, because someone believes in me." Soui thought of Tsume and the others who were running to her aid as she spoke, "As long as someone believes and has hope I am going to live. You on the other will die!" She howled as she lunged and her reflection. _

"Die you retched beast!" The reflection screamed as she threw another punch that caused Soui to slam up against the two large doors.

_IF you're a part of me, then I will sacrifice YOU on the alter so my friends can reach paradise! _Soui declared triumphantly as she leapt up and sunk her teeth into the reflections upper shoulder. Her reflection screamed and threw Soui back into the door, the door cracking down the middle.

Soui rolled away from the door just to have the soldiers thrust into it and break it down. Now Soui had to deal with an alternate form of herself and five soldiers each fully armed with sonars. She was struggling to get up from the ground, she was taking too many hits with not enough retaliation. A soldier walked over to Soui, his armor shifting and clanking with each step. He drew his sonar and she screamed, "TSUME!" Without another sound_ she was quiet._

Kiba and the others plowed through the front door to find Darcia on top of a dead Darcia. Kiba wasn't sure what surprised him more, the fact that Darcia was a wolf, or that Jagara was dead.

"Darcia..." Kiba clenched his fists as he stared at Darcia's muzzle that dripped with crimson blood, "Where's Soui!"

_She went to the door...something was calling her there... _Darcia stared at the pack of five and looked at Blue _She wolf...you need to aid to her pups... _

"Her Pups?" Blue asked amazed

_Yes...they're in a protected room. None of the soldiers can find it. You'll be able to track that scent. They need protection._

Blue nodded and took off down the corridor and Tsume looked at Hige, "You go with her too Porkey. She might need your help."

"Right! Good luck you guys," Hige smiled, his laid back manner still got the best of everyone.

Blue and Hige found the room without trouble and pushed open the door. In the corner in a ball was a four (I think I said four last chapter) puppies. Blue shifted, her pads clicking on the floor and she laid down next to them, _They are so beautiful Hige._

_Yeah, they look just like those two. _Hige wagged his tail as he laid down next to his loyal mate. _They made something beautiful, I hope they turn out okay..._

Cheza looked at Darica, "Take this one to Soui. This one needs to be with Soui."

Darcia nodded and stepped down from Jagara's corpse and walked down the halls. Kiba and Tsume weren't too thrilled about falling Darcia, but if it meant finding Soui they would.

"Why did you become a wolf Darcia," Kiba asked.

"_Blame it on Soui...that wolf has changed me...and I've returned to the form most natural to me."_

"You talked about a door," Tsume began, "The one Soui went in. What's so important about it?"

"_The room has been within this keep for hundreds of years, and no one in my family or any of our guests could ever get it to open. But the minute she stepped in front of it, the door opened."_

"The gate...The gate to paradise is inside," Cheza explained, "This one..this one can feel the gate's presence, this one...can feel evil too."

"_A few of Jagara's men managed to get by me, they're probably trying to open up the door," Darcia explained as he limped along. As they turned the corner, Darcia stopped in horror at what he saw. The doors were in pieces and blood dripped about, "How did they manage to get inside?"_

"From the looks of it...it looks like someone broke it from the inside," Tsume noted, keeping their distance at the corner, "Lets go, Soui needs us."

They all nodded and shifted forms and together the four of them ran into the room. Again, horror came to them as they found the soldiers dead a few feet ahead of them, and Soui standing there, back turned to them.

"_SOUI!_" Kiba called out.

She turned to face him slowly and smiled, "You're here! You're really here!" Soui ran up to themwith tears in her eyes. She looked to Cheza and Kiba and smiled, "I"m so happy Jagara didn't get to you!"

"This one is fine," Cheza smiled but then frowned, "You...you are injured." Cheza reached out and touched Soui's shoulder.

Soui pulled away almost immediately, "It's okay, it's just a scratch."

Toboe looked up at Soui and frowned, "But Soui..why are there teeth marks on your shirt," Toboe pointed to her red shirt that was torn in a style only teeth would make and not a sword.

"Do not question me you brat!" Soui spat glaring at him, "Let's just get out here!" She trudged to the door and was heading to the left, her pups were of course to the right.

Tsume walked up behind her and grabbed the false Soui by the neck, "Where's Soui" He growled, "I know you're not her."

"Oh, but I am," She replied wickedly as she grabbed him by the shoulders and flipped him over her, he of course in the air flipping back and landing on his feet, "I am everything you fear about her. I am every thought that keeps you up at night, wondering if you'll be next, the next one to fall pray to her and that curse."

"Shut the hell up bitch!" Tsume screamed punching her straight in the face, the reflection skidded back and began to straighten its face, "I may have my doubts, but I know she would never hurt me. I love her, and you are not her! Now where is she?" He roared

"Tsume..."

The voice was faint, and it was weak. Tsume lifted his head, and looked past the evil reflection's shoulder. There she was, chained to the tapestry by her arms, leaving her dangling. She looked horrible, she held the stench of mixed bloods. As Tsume looked closer, there was something horribly wrong with her, her eyes were brimmed with tears, red tears. Her face, had the same scars and cuts that her reflection did, even her shoulder. "Tsume...please get out of here."

"I'm not going to leave you!" Tsume cried as he ran towards her.

The reflection intervened by standing in the way, "Do you know what will happen if just one tear crosses her eyes?" Tsume stopped and looked at her, "If even one drop of her blood hits that alter below her, the gods will assume she is the sacrifice and take her whole body and soul from this world. Every blow I take, she takes. We are from the same soul. The more you make me bleed, the more she does. The gates of paradise will open if any harm comes to me, but tell me, what will you do when she cannot be in paradise with you?"

"You bitch...you low bitch," Tsume clenched his fists looking at her.

"Tsume! Don't listen to her Tsume! Kill her!" Soui screamed, Tsume looking back at her, "You have to! She'll kill everyone!"

Tsume didn't have time to react as the reflection thrust its fist into Tsume, sending him flying onto the dead corpses.

"What are we going to do Kiba?" Toboe screamed looking over at Soui with so much distress.

Cheza looked at Soui, "This is the prophecy, this is what we feared. This one won't let this happen! This one won't allow it!"

The evil Soui simply laughed, "I have everything I need right here in this room. The white wolf, Kiba, destined to find the road to paradise. Cheza, the flower maiden, the one to show the way. And the sacrifice, the scarred wolf Soui. The others are just worthless," She walked over to Tsume who was struggling to get up, she grabbed him by the neck, "You'd think that if you died, you'd be with her right?" She squeezed his neck harder, "You think that you'll both die here so you won't mind. But you know what, she won't be waiting for you! She cannot enter heaven nor hell! She will completely vanish from any existence. Any existence at all! So tell me," She squeezed him and he gasped for air, "What will you do now! What will you do now Tsume? How does it feel, to look into your lovers eyes and know she's the one killing you?"

His eyes began to close and tears fell from them _Soui..._

"STOP IT!" She screamed from her chains, "STOP IT PLEASE! I DON'T CARE IF I HAVE TO DIE," she trembled from her spot on the tapestry, "I...don't care...but please, PLEASE DON"T KILL TSUME!"

The reflection dropped Tsume and turned around, "Eh? You're willing to die, and open the door for these mongrels and myself, the darkness, just to save him? You're willing to let these wolves make a world of hell with me just for him, isn't that selfish?"

Kiba, Darcia, and Toboe all lunged at her, but she simply snapped her finger and a barrier from the circle enclosed around them, "Did you find me so foolish not to be prepared?" The three began to bark and snarl crying desperately at the site they knew they would witness.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Soui screamed again, struggling with her chains.

Cheza was the only one who was still standing, being blind she could only guess the exact location of the dark Soui. She could hear the pure Soui, she could hear the pain in her heart. Cheza dropped to her knees and began to pray, chanting words that no one understood.

The dark Soui just laughed, "And this was the cavalry that believes in you so much? How weak are they, your husband lay near death on the floor, your friends and family trapped in a simple shield, and your maiden praying for her protection? Where is the hope now wolf? Where is it now!"

_It's right here! _Blue snarled as she sank her teeth into the back of the reflections neck. Both the dark and the real Soui screamed, and the one of the tapestry fell limp for a moment, in shock of her pain. Blue didn't understand what was going on, and she grabbed the evil Soui and held her on the floor, hesitating for a moment and that was just enough time for the dark one to twist her hand in Blue's organs and enough time for Hige to stomp on the reflection's ribs. _HIge stop! We're hurting Soui!_

"Blue...Hige...you have to kill her...you have to her..."

"_No! We can't do that! It will kill you!"_ Blue snarled.

"If I die...she will die," Soui chocked as blood dribbled from her mouth down her neck, "If...she dies...she cannot harm paradise...and you...and everyone...can make...a new life for us...the life we all worked so hard for...Please. Please Blue, kill her...kill me!"

_Are you nuts? There has to be another way! _Hige screamed as he dodged a punch from the reflection.

Cheza continued her chanting until she opened her eyes, instead of their piercing violet red color they were white and she was encased in the same white light. She rose to her feet and turned to the tortured Soui, with a flip of her wrist the chains broke. Soui managed to miss the alter and stare at Cheza, "This one will not allow this fate. This one will help, this one believes in you." Cheza fell unconscious almost instantly after her speech.

"CHEZA!" Kiba screamed from the cage.

Soui forced herself off the ground to see Hige and Blue be thrown into the walls in pain. She couldn't move, she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Cheza was unconscious, Blue and Hige were covered in battle wounds, Tsume wasn't moving, and Tsume, Kiba, and Darcia were trapped. "This is all your fault...it's all your fault..."

The dark Soui turned around and smiled, "My fault? It's your fault."

"What?" She gasped.

"I was made by you. I am everything you ever feared; the fear from keeping your secret from Kiba, the fear of your children, the fear of losing these wolves, the fear of Jagara, the fear of what would come tomorrow, you made me. There is no one to blame. There's no curse anymore to blame. You can't blame the gods either. Everything was based on the decisions you made. And for it, your loved ones are paying the price," She laughed wickedly.

Soui clenched her fists and walked past the alter, walking over to the cage. Her hand touched the barrier, and sparks shocked through it and burnt her hand. She winced but continued even as Kiba told her not to. "I will not let you...be harmed for my mistake," She replied in pain as her arm sank deeper through the barrier.

"What are you doing!" The evil Soui growled as she began walking over to her, "You honestly think you will survive this?" She asked as she held herself in pain. That's when Soui realized the pain traveled both ways, as the good Soui received the bad Soui's pain, it worked the other way.

"Soui stop it this instant!" Darcia commanded.

Soui closed an eye from the pain, "Just believe in me," She smiled, "If you believe in me, it's going to be alright."

Darcia and the other two stared at her with their doubt, but as she managed to get half her body through the closed their eyes and tried their hardest to believe in her. She had done so much that was unbelievable and made so many sacrifices.

"Almost there..." She told them as it became easier to get through. She let out a scream of pain as she fell inside the barrier.

"What will this do!" The Evil Soui screamed pounding her fist against the barrier, "This won't save you!" She snapped her finger the barrier disappeared. The darkness figured Soui was trying to protect herself, and after her act was done realized it was a trap. The three wolves pinned her to the ground each snapping at her neck.

"No...this one is mine..." Soui beckoned to them, and the three backed away as she walked over.

"What are you doing?" The evil Soui asked struggling to even sit up, "If you kill me. You'll die too."

Tsume groaned at his spot on the ground and sat up rubbing his neck, "I feel like I got lassoed by a cowboy. Where the hell did that bitch go." Tsume turned to his left towards the alter and almost didn't believe what he saw. There was Soui, bloody and nearly in pieces in her wolf form, snarling and baring her teeth. Saliva mixed with blood dripped from her mouth as Soui stared down at her evil counterpart. "Soui..."

_Sorry Tsume...but this I gotta do... _Soui picked up her evil counterpart. The darkness was too in shock, too afraid because she had been too beaten to resist. Soui dragged her over Cheza, not meaning to as Cheza rolled down the four steps that led to the alter. Soui picked up her counterpart with her human hands and together they stood at the alter, "You wanted me to be offered," she grabbed the darkness's hand, " Then so be it!" Together at the same time she slammed both her own hand and the darkness's hand onto the alter, smearing their blood together.

"What have you done?" The Darkness screamed as they began to glow a golden yellow, and soon it began to engulf them at their feet. Hige and Blue stood up and ran to Kiba, Toboe, and Darcia's side, utterly confused on what was going on.

Soui's head remained drooped but there was a smirk on her face, "For this sacrifice to be pure, it needed the whole body. The light _and _the dark. They still believe in me, I am both the good and the evil of hope. Now paradise will open," Her hair was lifted off her shoulders by the golden light, " And they will live in a paradise that can truly be one. This is their Utopia, and I am happy to know I created it."

"SOUI!" Tsume got up off the ground and began to run towards her, "Soui don't go damn it! I'm not going to let you leave me again!" Tsume ran up to her and grabbed one of her golden hands as the bottom of her began to disappear. "SOUI!"

Soui looked up at him and smiled with tears in her eyes, "I know this isn't fair to you, but one day you'll understand why I did it. Tsume take good care of our children. Help them to grow up strong like you. I did this for us, and for the family we made together Tsume." She smiled and ran her hand along his face, "I love you Tsume."

"Soui..." he begged as she disappeared completely, "No..." He watched as the alter began to absorb that golden light. Tsume looked around and found part of Soui's chains on the floor, the edges jagged and sharp from the way Cheza had freed her.

He picked one up and cut his thumb with it and then slammed his thumb onto the alter. "LISTEN TO ME YOU STUPID ALTER OR WHATEVER THE HELL IS GOING ON, YOU'RE NOT TAKING HER AWAY FROM ME!" He screamed as the golden light started to encase him, "SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DIE LIKE THIS! WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING SHE WANTS FOR THE SAKE OF EVERYONE ELSE? WHAT WERE YOU LORDS THINKING BURDENING ONE WOLF WITH ALL THE HOPE IN THE WORLD?"

He screamed and looked at the alter as it tried to push him away with the light, "NO! I REFUSE TO LEAVE! LISTEN TO ME YOU DAMN GODS IN THE SKY! SOUI TAUGHT ME TO HOPE, SOUI TAUGHT US ALL TO HOPE. IT'S ONE THING TO DREAM A DREAM, BUT SHE MADE IT SEEM LIKE OUR DREAMS WOULD COME TRUE! SHE'S HELPED US AND DONE MORE FOR US FOR WHAT JUST TO BE TAKEN AWAY!"

He screamed as he was pushed even more back, the heels of his boots digging into the concrete. Cheza's body was pushed away and Kiba caught her in the air. "LISTEN TO ME! WE ALL HAVE TO HOPE TOGETHER! YOU DAMN IDIOTS! YOU BETTER BE LISTENING TO ME, I WILL KILL EVERY WOLF IN THIS ROOM, THEN THERE WILL BE NO ONE LEFT TO GET INTO PARADISE! ALL SHE EVER WANTED WAS HER FAMILY, THOSE PUPS THAT ARE WAITING FOR THEIR MOTHER IN THE OTHER ROOM. WE ALL SHOULD HOPE TOGETHER, WE SHOULD ALL SHARE THE BURDENING OF KEEPING OUR WORLD SAFE! GIVE HER BACK TO ME!" he was being pushed even farther back, but he was still pushing towards the alter as the tapestry began to disappear. Where the tapestry once stood was now two huge doors with wolves drawn on it. "I DON'T WANT PARADISE, I WANT SOUI!"

"I don't want paradise either!" Toboe screamed. Tsume turned around to see Toboe making his way up the stairs, "I don't want this paradise if Soui can't be in it!" He forced his way up, using his arm as a shield until he grabbed onto Tsume and pushed him forward and they both began to glow together, "Give her back to us!"

The room around was beginning to crumble and Hige looked to Blue, who was already staring at her, "You know, there's a chance we're gonna die in this room," he told her gently.

She smiled and took his hand, "Then let us fight for something we both believe in."

"Yeah, Paradise would be a bore without her," Hige winked as they made her way up the stairs.

Tsume turned to his right as he felt Hige's hand grab his shoulder, "You know we wouldn't let you have all the glory right?" Hige grinned and so did Tsume.

Blue glared at the doors covered in carvings, the carvings were slowly beginning to fill in with the golden glow, as if the gold was filling a molding, "You listen to me! She's done everything her entire life to repent for things she never did! She only wanted to protect us!"

"Yeah! I may not have gotten so close to her," Hige screamed, "And I might have been a little scared of her at first," he pushed the four of them forward, "But that doesn't mean I want this for her! I want the best for her! I want to see Soui with Tsume! I want them to be happy like Blue and me!"

The wind began to pick up in the room from the door and Darcia watched them loose ground quickly, their heels balancing on the top step. " I wanted Homina, I wanted all the bad memories of her to go away. I wanted to see nothing but the joy," Darcia dropped his head, "I see now from her, that I was meant to have those memories," He began the journey up the stairs, "She had horrible memories. But she kept hers. She learned from her memories, and from it made a new life and new happiness. I won't let you steal away the glow that was in her eyes!" Darcia found himself next to Tsume bringing them ahead a few steps, "LET HER GO!"

Kiba and the unconscious Cheza were the only ones left. There Kiba was, staring at the gates to paradise. This was what he had wanted, what he had felt so compelled to search for all these years. After all that, it had finally paid off. It was right here, right here in front of him waiting. Cheza was right here too, right here ready for him to take her in. Yet there they were, fighting it away, they glowed with the same golden light that took Soui away. Why were they trying to disappear too? Those were the same friends who had traveled, and shared every pain with him, they were trying to push it all away. They didn't want it, if it meant losing Soui.

He stood there, unable to move.

"_Kiba?"_

"_Yeah..."_

"_Don't make me look into your mind again"_

"_Why?"_

"_It's those memories, and those experiences that helped to make you into the wolf that you are right now before me. I don't want to steal those away from you. I know you want someone to relate, but we aren't supposed to understand each other one hundred percent like that. Do you understand?"_

"_Yeah, I do. Will you ever let me look into your mind?"_

"_Maybe one-day, when I begin to handle all the things I've seen."_

Her words...those words...echoed in his mind.

"**Kiba?"**

"_**Soui, is that you Soui? Where are you?" Kiba called out to her.**_

"**I'm inside of you. I am inside of everyone, that's how hope works brother. Do you remember that day. The day I promised you could see into my mind one day?"**

"_**Yes, I remember that day."**_

"**Well today is that day. Today, you can see what really goes on in me."**

There was a white light that blinded Kiba. When he opened his eyes back up again her was in a huge green meadow of lunar flowers. He sat up and rubbed his head, "Where am I?"

"Welcome my brother," Soui smiled, "About time you woke up sleepy head."

"Soui...how long have I been asleep?" He asked rubbing his head again.

"I do not know. There is no measure of time in here," She smiled and spun around in the field, "There is no limit of time, because then I will not have to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" He stood up and walked over to her, "Goodbye to who?"

"To them," Soui pointed. Suddenly they were on the top of a hanging cliff. Below them was a waterfall and a lake and drinking from it was a pack of wolves.

Kiba's eyes widened, "But that's..."

"That's us," She told him kindly. It was true, Cheza, Kiba, Soui, Tsume, Toboe, Blue, Hige, Darcia, and a few unnamed pups were drinking from the lake peacefully, "This is my mind. We're in the paradise that I imagined."

"But..." he lifted up his head and saw dark storm clouds in the distance, "If this is paradise, why is there that darkness at the horizon."

"Maybe paradise wasn't the right word," She told him gently, her hair drifting past her shoulders from the light breeze, "This is my dream Kiba. This is what I want. I want us all to be happy. Those clouds, are all the dark memories that I'm always running away from. I know one day they're going to come, and rain on our parade. But I'm the only one who's going to get struck by the lightning."

"Why?" Kiba asked confused.

"Because I accept it. This is the debt I am given," She told him as she sat down on the ground.

"What are you talking about? What debt must you pay?" He asked sitting down beside her.

"Kiba...you know we are all reborn again and again. We usually don't remember our past lives...but I...I was a very bad wolf in my last life..."

Suddenly, again the scenery changed and they were lost in the middle of a land of fire. Kiba began to become afraid, fire a natural enemy. Soui took his hand and led him through the flames, "If my old life, I was a crazy wolf. My power was limitless, and instead of helping, I killed," Her foot crunched on the skull of a wolf, "I killed thousands of wolves Kiba, I thought I was unbeatable. Then one day, I challenged the gods."

Soui stopped and pointed as the story was played out before them. Her fur was completely black and so were her eyes. She was barking at the sky and the land around her began to burn. It burned and the wolf realized it was trapped, and just like that, lightning struck, and nothing was left.

"To repent for my sins Kiba, they decided to make me bare the pain of all the wolves I killed, by being the one to die for them. I never told you, but I could hear the tears, I could hear the pains of all the wolves who tried to have hope. I could hear their wishes, I could hear the fears. There was nothing I could do. It was my punishment."

"What does this all mean?" Kiba asked as they now floated in a world of white.

"It means I accept my fate Kiba. I finally remembered why I had to do this. I remembered when I placed both of my hands on the alter. It reunited my evil with myself, the evil that carried all the memories of my past life. Kiba, instead of killing, I am caring. This is my gift to you, for you to go to paradise."

"_What's wrong Cheza?" Kiba asked gently_

"_That one..." Cheza pointed at Soui "That one holds many mysteries...that one...hides mysteries"_

"_What are you talking about Cheza?" Kiba asked her curiously_

"_That one hides her past...that one...is protecting everyone...but...that one cries all the time..."_

"_Soui hasn't cried in a long time Cheza. Actually...she's been avoiding me,"_

"_That one is afraid...afraid of hurt...that one...will die."_

_Kiba looked at Soui. No...she can't "Don't we all die Cheza?"_

"_That one...feels the pain...she feels darkness's pain..."_

"_Darcia?" Kiba asked still confused. Cheza nodded "Why is it her?"_

"_That one was chosen...as you are chosen...that one...will cry...and cry..." Cheza looked blindly and tears fell from her eyes "Can't you hear...hear that one crying...Ah Kiba...can you hear?"_

_Kiba looked at Cheza still perplexed, and then looked at Soui who was down and playing, she at that moment being hit in the face with a snowball. Kiba closed his eyes, and tried to concentrate "I don't hear anything Cheza...I can't hear anything but their laughter"_

"_Ah...Kiba...that one hides it...hides beneath smiles..."_

"_How...how is Soui going to die...?"_

"_That one will die...smiling..." Cheza took Kiba's hand again "Maybe one day...Kiba...that one will tell her story..."_

"_What story, what are you talking about?" Kiba needed to know more, was Soui in danger?_

"_Ah Kiba...in good time...this one shall not tell...that one must tell or all is failed"_

_Kiba growled frustrated and rubbed his hands against his eyes "Why is she crying...why can't I hear it?"_

"_In good time Kiba..."_

Kiba clenched his fists and looked away, "Did Cheza know, did Cheza know all along?"

Soui nodded her head, "She is the flower maiden, she always knew, before she even understood."

Kiba started to cry, "Did you know? Did you know this was going to happen?"

Soui shook her head, "No. I didn't know it would actually happen this way. I didn't remember my past until just now, I'm sorry Kiba."

Kiba lifted his head and looked at her, "Why do you have to die? Why? I finally found you sister, I finally understand you sister! Why must you be the only one to pay for your mistakes while the rest of us run free with sinful hearts!" he drooped his head, "Why is it...why are you the only one who has to protect us...why must you feel all the pain...why is it...you have to cry forever and no one else."

Soui smiled as she rested her hand on the side of her brother's face, "Brother, look at me," he looked up at her amber eyes and waited, "I'm not scared to die anymore. It's going to be okay brother. You are going to paradise, I helped make your dream come true," she wrapped her arms around her brother and held him tight, "It's okay Kiba...it's going to be okay..."

Kiba opened his eyes and he was back in the crumbling chamber. He looked up and watched his friends struggle against the light that was trying to push them away so the doors could open. He opened his mouth to speak, but looked down as he heard a small sigh come from Cheza's voice.

"Cheza..." he looked down at her.

"Ah Kiba...you made a promise...that we'd _all _go to paradise Kiba...Is Soui...part of that all? Is she...part of the everyone, Kiba?"

Kiba looked down at her for a moment, this mental bond of seriousness between them. He slid her from his arms so she was on her feet and took her hand, "Let's get her back," Together the two of them jumped with the crowd, and Kiba squirmed until he made his way to the front and stood beside Tsume, "You heard me? Let's get her back!"

"About time you started acting like a leader," Tsume smirked as he shaded himself from the golden glow.

Kiba looked at the gate that was inching its way open, "I promised myself, years ago, I'd make it to paradise. I met my pack, and I changed that promise, and said we'd _all _make it to paradise. We're not going without Soui." He screamed as his hair began to glow golden with the rest of the wolves. Cheza was calling to the door, begging it to stop. Kiba mustered whatever strength was in him and let out one final desperate scream, "BRING HER BACK!"

Suddenly the gates stopped, and so did the glow. Everyone stopped as well, no one breathed. It was as if a still silence had swept across the world and even time had stopped to see the conclusion. The doors were still opened ajar, but nothing was happening. The group stood straight, and strained their hearing as they began to hear something. It was soft, faint, but slowly was growing louder. It was the sound of footsteps. The pack waited until finally a golden glow appeared at the door and slipped through until she stood at the gap where the two doors met.

"Hey, I've been waiting for you guys," She smiled as the golden light faded. There she was, standing in a long white gown, her hair now down to the small of her back. Soui smiled and extended her hands to Tsume and Kiba who stood at the front, "Let's go!"

"Go where?" Tsume asked weakly. He wasn't sure if he was dreaming and this was all going to disappear the second he reached for her.

"We're going to paradise Tsume," she smiled lightly, "What? We've all worked so hard for it and now you can't walk? Come on Tsume, it's only a few steps away."

"Are you...coming with us?" Kiba asked gently.

Soui nodded her head and chuckled, "The gods say we are all far too strong willed for our own good. If you guys didn't get into paradise the wolves wouldn't have much of a future."

"What about the pups?" Blue asked turning back to the door that seemed miles away now.

"They are inside waiting for us," Soui smiled, "They are part of the paradise I dreamed for. The last wish I had in my heart before I disappeared was for everyone to be safe. The lords found the only safe place for infant puppies would be with their mother. Now lets go!" Darcia looked up at her, and took one step down the stairs and she pouted, "Now where do you think you're going?"

"I do not belong in a joyous place after all the horrible deeds I have done," he bowed his head in shame.

"Darcia!" She told him with a slight frustration in her voice, "Darcia paradise will let you in. The evil is been rid of from your heart. Besides, if they're going to let a scarred wolf like me in, why not you?" She smirked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. He looked up at her, doubt still in his eyes, "Come on Darcia, have some faith in me."

The glow in her eyes made him smile, the glow he wished would never be taken away. He took his rightful place with his new pack and smiled.

"It seems as though you gained back your role as the leader," Tsume smirked as he remembered the day she ruled her own pack.

She turned back and stuck out her tongue, "I'm not an alpha silly, this pack doesn't work that way. It's like a game of follow the leader. If someone knows the way, they'll lead, until it's time for the others to take over. Come on," Soui took a step through the door, and everyone followed.

_As long as we stick together, we won't ever be lost again._

**A "Time" Later on In Paradise**

"Soui!" Toboe called to her in a whine. Her ears perked and she lifted up her muzzle and yawned to the happy sky. "Soui!" He called again

"What is it Toboe?" She asked as she scratched at her muzzle.

"Kaze and Akira won't stop biting on my ears!" He moaned as he trotted up to her, two little puppies jumping around at his feet.

"Big brother Toboe let us play with you some more!" They both cheered in unison.

Toboe sighed, "Do something!"

Soui simply laughed and nuzzled the two pups that slumbered beside her, "Hey Rei, Larka, wake up."

The two pups beneath her, one white and the other gray like their father squirmed and yawned, "Good morning Mama."

She smiled and licked at them as they squirmed and laughed, "Why don't you go play with your brother and sister and give big brother Toboe a break okay."

"Toboe Toboe will you play with us later?" Little Larka and Rei begged.

Toboe smiled, "Of course I will. Right now, I want to be with mom."

"Wah? Big brother Toboe needs to be with Mommy? Ha ha you're not so big and brave after all!" Rei stuck out his tongue and wagged his tail, "Let's go before he asks mom to sing for him." The four pups laughed and trotted off down towards the valley of lunar flowers.

Toboe sighed and thumped to the ground beside Soui. Soui nuzzled him gently as he rested his head on the ground, "They are so full of energy," He moaned between two yawns.

"Oh you were the same way when I first met you," She insisted as she pulled on his ear, "They are like you in so many ways."

"Really? Man I must've been annoying."

"Yeah, you were Squirt," Tsume answered for Soui as he trotted over to them. He licked his mate lovingly and laid down beside her, resting his head in the arch of her neck and warm fur.

"Did you have fun hunting with the others?" Soui asked him gently.

"Yeah, but Blue and Hige have been acting very strange lately, they've been whispering and disappearing from time to time," Tsume replied, "Weird couple." Soui simply chuckled and continued laughing so much Tsume looked at her with bewilderment. "What's so funny?"

"They're just like us Tsume. We just happened to move a lot faster than them," She kissed his muzzle and it made him blush when he realized what she was talking about, "Don't be embarrassed, I just realized very early on that you were the one I was mean to love and be with."

Tsume's expression softened and he nuzzled her gently, "Soui..."

"Hey we're back!" Kiba called as his head appeared at the top of the hill, Cheza right behind him with a happy face.

"Hey! Did you have fun brother?" Soui asked wagging her tail.

"Yes. Cheza picked some flowers while the rest of us hunted," Kiba joined the pile and tugged on his sister's ear, "When will you come back to hunting with us sister?"

"When I know my children are ready to practice," She looked at her kin who were at the bottom of the hill fondly, "Mostly Tsume and I have been letting them practice. I think tomorrow they'll be ready to go and hunt some real game with us."

"Wow, you have a lot faith in them," Kiba replied tugging on her ear still.

"Of course I do, I have faith in everyone," She smiled humbly, "Where is Darcia?"

"See for yourself," Kiba nodded his head back at the bottom of the hill. Soui looked down just in time to see her children scream Uncle Darcia and tackle him to the ground. All four began to tease and nibble at him, their tails wagging back and forth rapidly.

Soui smiled and looked up at the sky, "This was it."

"What was it?" Tsume asked quietly.

"This was the paradise I had always dreamed for."

"What will you dream for now?" Tsume asked her gently.

"Nothing. I am here with you and everyone I love. Even if an evil is to come..."

"As long as we are together..." Tsume began.

"Well overcome any obstacle this world gives us..." Kiba finished staring at the kids.

"We will make the best of this world, no matter the length is lasts. And together, we will make the brightest future, for us, and for our children," Soui finished as she closed her eyes, "Now at last, I can rest easy."

Everyone took in the moment of solitude as Soui began to sleep. They all remained silent and stared at her fondly. They looked at each other and let out a sigh of relief as they too curled up to sleep. As the group on the hill drifted off into their sleep, no one noticed but the children that Soui's scar had started to glow. The children asked each other what it could be, shining like a star at the top of the hill, and almost instantly disappeared right after. Darcia simply smiled and told them that a burden had been lifted.

"What burden is that Uncle Darcia?" Kaze asked gently.

"The world can survive on its own now, it no longer needs her to cry."

"Uncle Darcia...why is Momma crying?" Kaze asked, worried for his mother's sake.

"She's happy Kaze. Her scar is no longer needed, and today the evil finally disappeared," Soui at the top of the hill lifted up her head and looked down at Darcia.

She stared at him for a moment, and he bowed his head to her solemnly, "She finally knows that no matter where she goes...there will always be someone to follow her. Even if she travels to the ends of the earth, she won't even have to look back to know if there's a line of loved ones following. The wolves are sleeping on the hill, they don't dream of paradise, they dream of what we have today."

Soui smiled and wagged her tail at Darcia and then rested her head again, "Did you know that Hope saved me kids?" Darcia looked down at them.

"How did Hope save you?" Akira asked gently, wagging her tail.

"She did something no one else would do."

"What was that?" Akira asked eagerly.

"She believed in me. She believed when no one else could. When we were weak, she cried for us, and when we felt the end was near, she gave up her life for us."

"Mommy died for you?" Kei asked frightened.

Darcia nodded, "But we brought her back. We weren't going to let her run away."

"Was Mommy really trying to run away?" Kei asked confused.

Darcia laid down on the grass with them and smiled, "I doubt it. She probably just got lost in the darkness," the children laughed thinking about their mother being lost in the woods, "You all remember this. If you ever get lost, you will be found."

"Who's going to find us?" Larka asked.

"She will," He pointed his nose up to where Soui was, "At one point, every single one of us was lost. But Soui found us, and she brought us to Paradise."

"Oh Uncle Kiba told us the legend of paradise!" Larka wagged her tail, "But Kiba never did tell us how the doors opened, he never finished!"

Darcia smiled and licked her forehead, "I'll tell you if you want child. But that, is a long story. But it started with an amber colored she-wolf. She was the alpha of her pack, and she was destined to do great things."

**Fin **


End file.
